


Whatever Happened to Alexander?

by TrueMeg



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Character Development, Family Drama, Family Feels, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Kidnapping, M/M, Personal Growth, Tension, mundane Alec
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-12
Updated: 2018-10-15
Packaged: 2019-01-16 08:42:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 22,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12339309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrueMeg/pseuds/TrueMeg
Summary: When Alexander Lightwood was four years old, he was kidnapped outside the New York Institute, never to be seen again.  Fourteen years have gone by and Alec has been living in the mundane world, with no idea what kind of shadows lurk, both in his past and around the corner. He thought he knew his life, but now everything's been turned upside down when he finds himself back on the steps of the Institute.





	1. Little Garden Creatures

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first venture back into writing fanfic after several years. This idea just wouldn't go away. The title is derived from "Whatever Happened to Janie?" by Carolyn B. Cooney, the sequel to "The Face on the Milk Carton" which shares similar story themes.

“Alexander!”

Robert Lightwood stalked across the grass, his eyes trained on his young son. Alexander heard the voice and froze, his head snapping up and his eyes going wide, knowing from the tone not to try to run away from his father. It was the same voice his father used when he caught his son coloring on the memos on his desk, or hiding away in his father’s office. Alexander’s arms were hooked over the worn stone railing leading up to the Institute front doors, and he practically hung there while his father approached him.

“Son, I told you to stay inside.” Robert said when he stopped in front of Alexander.

The young boy gazed up at his father, both worried about defying his father but wanting to stay outside and watch. “I just wanna see,” the boy said.

He’d been bored and had been following his parents around all morning. The Institute was a flurry of activity, with different Clave members coming and going on their usual business through the city. Across the grass, where his father had come from, Maryse Lightwood was in discussion with a group of young Shadowhunters. Alexander heard something about them going on a mission in Queens and he wanted to hear more.

“Alexander, go back up to your room,” Robert warned.

Alexander didn’t want to fight his father, but he didn’t want to be stuck in the stuffy Institute anymore. “Please?”

Robert sighed. He didn't have time to argue with his four-year-old, as he needed to see off the mission. And it really would be no harm in letting his son watch from his spot on the steps. “Alright. Stay here until your mother and I are done. Don’t move.” Robert watched his son for an extra moment before joining his wife again.

Alexander watched his father go. There was a breeze that scattered brown and orange leaves across the Institute gardens, and the air still smelled like the rain that had been pelting the city for the past two days. Alexander had been stuck inside that whole time, and he didn’t want to be stuck inside anymore.

There was a flurry of color in the corner of the boy’s eye. Alexander whipped his head around, looking at a bush by the outer brick fence. He scrunched his eyes, trying to get a better look. The flash of color appeared again, a little blue-ish ball of light buzzing in and out of the branches and leaves of the bush. Alexander unhooked himself from the railing and made his way down the stone steps.

He looked over at his parents, who were not facing him and seemed to be focused wholly on their conversation with the young Shadowhunters. His dad said not to move, but what were a few yards away, really? He wouldn’t be in that much trouble.

Alexander trotted over to the bushes, kneeling in the grass to try and find the ball of light. There was a rustle of leaves, and Alexander saw it again, now a few feet away from him. It was some kind of little pixie or nymph, small enough to fit in the little boy's hand and bright enough to glow a brilliant color in the middle of the day. Alexander had seen them from a distance before, and he heard his parents mutter something about fae getting their way into the Institute grounds. Alexander got up and followed the little fae, only to have it flit away again.

Alexander kept following after it sometimes getting a close look and other times needing to quicken his pace to catch up to it. It kept going and going until he saw the little creature make it to the gates to the street and skirt around the fence and out the gate.

Alexander stopped at the gate. It was a side gate to the institute grounds, wrought iron with the shape of the Angelic Rune twisted into the center of it. It was left open, and there were a few mundanes passing by on the street outside of it. Alexander turned to see his parents, who still hadn’t noticed he left the front steps. He just wanted to look out on the street and see if he could see the little pixie again. He wanted to know where it was going.

Alexander peeked his head around the stone fence, seeing no sign of the little fae creature, only a few mundanes. He took a few steps out onto the sidewalk, and still no creature...

A firm hand grabbed his arm, nearly making Alexander stumble on the sidewalk from it. He was forced to keep up, confused about what was happening. Alexander looked up, seeing a man with sunglasses and a beige jacket leading him down the street. “Hey...” Alexander struggled to stay on his feet and tried pulling his arm away. The man’s hand was hurting his arm.

“Shush,” was the man’s only reply. He just kept walking the little boy down the street.

Alexander managed to look back at the Institute, and the big building suddenly wasn’t looking so big anymore...


	2. Brooklyn's Stranger Things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has left comments and kudos on this fic! It warms my heart, thank you so much.  
> The title of the chapter is (obviously) a reference to Stranger Things.

_Fourteen Years Later_

“Don’t think of it as an unsanctioned mission, Iz. Think of it as me volunteering for a lone patrol for the sake of my fellow Shadowhunters.”

Isabelle Lightwood rolled her eyes. “You better hope your charm gets you out of trouble with our parents, Jace Wayland.”

Jace cracked a smile, grabbing a seraph blade and and sheathing it on his back. He was geared up and ready to go, already heading for the doors when Isabelle had found him. “They're not going to get me in trouble.”

“You know you’re setting a bad example for Max, right?” Izzy tried.

“On the contrary. I think I’m setting a great example of bravery and initiative—“

“Okay okay, I get it,” Izzy resigned herself. She was just lucky her little brother wasn’t here and begging to go with Jace. Max’s curiosity toward missions was growing and the boy was eager to get out in the city with the adults. It was a troubling pattern, but something the whole family was on alert for, thus making themselves overly protective of Max. Isabelle looked up at her brother, a seriousness in her eyes. “Just be careful, okay? Promise me.”

It was the same promise she forced out of Jace before every mission. Jace nodded. “Always am.”

“No you’re not,” Izzy smiled and gave Jace a shove on the shoulder. “Don’t stay out late.”

“Yes Mom.” Jace hit the button for the elevator as Izzy left him. While he waited, Jace glanced at a framed picture on the side table next to him. In the picture, a very young boy with dark hair and clear eyes gazed at the camera. The picture had been there since before Jace arrived at the institute seven years ago. He of course knew the stories of the boy, but Jace never asked why the picture was specifically placed by the exit of the institute. He figured it was a reminder.

Jace stepped into the elevator, the image of little Alexander still in his head.

 

* * *

 

“Mom, it’s okay. I’m fine...”

Alec made it to the top of the stairs from the subway station, stepping out into the crisp evening air.  His phone was still pressed to his ear as he looked around. He wasn’t all too familiar with Brooklyn, which didn’t help his situation. 

“I’m fine, really. I just got on the wrong train. And then there was construction and everything... It’s fine I’ll find another train back or I’ll catch a bus or something. I’ll call you later, Mom. Bye.” Alec shook his head when he hung up the phone.  She was a worrier, by all meanings of the word. It was like she was constantly worried about her son being out of her sight any longer than she needed him to be. Alec was eighteen but still got calls and texts from his mother as soon as his hours at school or work finished. She needed to know his whereabouts almost constantly. It would’ve bugged Alec more if he didn’t love his mother so much. It was sweet and endearing, in a way. And he wondered if this was often the trait of an adoptive parent. 

Alec shoved his hands into his pockets and looked around. He wasn’t familiar with Brooklyn in the slightest. All he knew was that his wrong train and the construction detour got him way out of his home borough of Manhattan. And of all the neighborhoods he could’ve ended up in, Brooklyn was probably the worst. His mother and uncle told him from an early age that Brooklyn was nothing but trouble. It seemed like a strange thing to say, since he had friends who said Brooklyn was perfectly fine.  Even so,  his mother and uncle always avoided Brooklyn, and insisted Alec do the same. 

Alec figured he’d just start walking and eventually he’d either find another subway station back to Manhattan or a bus stop. It was New York, he’d find something eventually. Alec scrunched his shoulders against the chill, and he kept his eyes trained on the sidewalk ahead of him. He wanted to keep out of trouble and just get home for the night. His mother was already freaking out, and he knew his uncle would be pissed if he found out.

Alec did his best to keep out of people’s way, but as he rounded a corner, his shoulder collided with another persons. the force of it was enough to make Alec stumble back a bit

“Hey!” Alec called at the guy. He usually didn’t care much about running into another person, but he was raised in New York and knew when not to take it. And it hurt.

The guy turned, a lock of his blonde hair falling over his face. He was giving Alec a side-eye. His look appeared to be a mix of confusion and arrogance, as if someone was actually able to conjure those two emotions into one gaze. It unnerved Alec, and only at that point did he see the sword strapped to the guy’s back, and the tattoos on his neck and peeking out from his jacket.

Something struck in Alec, but he pushed his nerves down and quickly turned to walk away. It wasn’t worth it. Especially since Alec was unsure if he just ran into a gang member or a very intense LARP-er.

His pace got quicker, his mind unable to rid itself of the guy's image. Something about the sword and the tattoos - thick black lines all twisted into grotesque shapes - kept bugging him. It had to be some kind of gang affiliation. Maybe this is what his mother and uncle warned him about when they told him to avoid Brooklyn.

Alec ended up passing a few subway and bus stops, all of which either wouldn't take him any closer to Manhattan or were shut down due to the train construction.  Solutions to his predicament kept circling in his mind: he could walk to the Brooklyn Bridge, which meant it'd take longer to get home and he'd be out later. He could keep circling around until he found a station that went into Manhattan, but he didn't know how long that would end up taking him, or if he'd even find anything this late.

Alec was so consumed in his thoughts, he didn't realize he was on an empty street. The wind had picked up, blowing brown and orange leaves in his path. A streetlight flickered nearby, and Alec shoved his hands further into his pockets. 

Someone came from around a corner, shadowed by the dark evening. Alec briefly considered the idea of asking where the nearest bus stop would be before the person stopped on the sidewalk. They seemed to stop to stare at Alec, who was frozen in his spot. Suddenly the figure walked directly toward Alec, trained on him. Alec took a few steps back, quickly looking around to see if the person was looking at someone else -- almost praying that that was the case. But the street was empty, and soon the figure was face-to-face with Alec.

As they got closer Alec smelled a fait but foul stench, like blood or dirt or trash.The person had short cropped hair underneath a gray hood. Nothing was particularly striking about their appearance. Except for the hissing. Alec heard a hissing when the figure was a few feet away from him. Hissing like some kind of animal. It took Alec a moment to realize there were words coming out of the hisses. " _Ssshadowhunter_..."

It meant nothing to Alec, obviously. The person was only a foot away from Alec, slowly backing him up into a brick wall as he tried to keep his distance. "What?"

" _A lone Nephilim..._ " The person hissed again. 

"Wha--" Alec shook his head, his back now against the cool brick wall behind him. "What are you talking about?"

" _Ssstupid Ssshadowhunter."_

"Stop, look..." Alec tried, holding up his hands, "I don't know what you want. But I don't have anything. I'm not a--a hunter whatever."

The person appeared to smirk. " _This is too easy._ " The person's mouth opened, and Alec's eyes widened when he saw rows of brown, razor sharp teeth appear. Rows and rows of teeth all one behind the other, descending far into the person--creature's-- mouth. They looked like they dripped dark blood. 

Alec only had a moment of shock before he clenched his hand and struck out, hitting the creature in the side of the head. It was enough to send the creature back, giving Alec space to get away. Alec ran, he didn't care where, he just wanted to get away. 

He made it only about one block up before something big slammed into his back, knocking Alec to the pavement. He managed to roll over on his back, with the creature over him, effectively trapping him.  The creature kept hissing and baring its rows of disgusting teeth. 

" _You're making this too easy, little Shadowhunter_ ," the creature gave its own version of a smile before it leaned down toward Alec, ready to bite him. Alec froze, anticipating the worst before the creature spasmed, screeching out, and then disappearing in bits of light and dark liquid.  One second it was there and in an instant it was gone. The black liquid splattered onto Alec's clothes and skin.  And where the creature once was, there was now a glowing sword, pointed at Alec and just a few inches from his chest. Alec looked up to see the wielder of the sword was the same blonde, tattooed guy he ran into earlier.

The guy smirked at Alec. "Well you're _welcome_ ," he said. 

 


	3. Having The Sight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to everyone who left kudos and the lovely comments on this fic!

Alec had to be dreaming.

Maybe he’d fallen asleep on the subway, and this was just some very vivid dreaming. He’d wake up in a few minutes and find himself still on the train and close to getting home. He’d be back in his apartment and seeing his mother in just a few minutes and this dream would fade away eventually.

But that didn’t seem to happen. Alec wasn’t waking up on the subway. He was still lying on the concrete on an empty street in Brooklyn late at night. He’d just been targeted by some…thing, before some blonde punk-looking guy made it disappear with his sword.  A sword which was still very close to Alec’s chest.

“Okay, I’ll give you a free pass this time,” The blond guy said, pulling away his sword and straightening himself up. “Since you’re probably a bit shell-shocked. I would be too, especially if after all that I ended up being saved by someone as handsome and talented as myself.”

Alec had to take a second to collect himself before he was able to get to his feet again. Looking down at himself, he realized he wasn’t hurt, but the black liquid that spurted out when the creature disappeared was splattered onto his shirt and jacket. His knee felt like it had gotten scraped through his jeans, but otherwise he was unharmed.

“You must have some questions…” The guy prattled on.

But Alec didn’t respond. He lifted a hand to wipe away the black liquid. 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” the guy said to Alec.

Alec’s hand stopped. “Why not?”

“Demon ichor can burn through skin,” he said, very matter-of-factly.

“I’m sorry, what?” Alec stared at the guy, “What’d you say?”

“It can burn through skin.”

“Yeah I got that part. I meant the first part.”

“Demon ichor,” the guy said. “A demon’s blood. That was a demon that just came after you.”

None of this was becoming any clearer to Alec, and that must’ve clearly shown on his face. “A…a demon?”

“Yes, a demon. You know, a monster from Hell, the Underworld…whatever your preferred choice of word is.”

Alec fought to process that. He’d grown up going to church, but he didn’t think demons actually existed. Wasn’t all that stuff supposed to be a metaphor?

“A demon? A—a real demon?”

“Did I stutter?”

Alec rolled his eyes.

“It’s strange,” the guy continued, not really explaining anything. “Usually those kinds of demons are more discrete when they attack mundanes. It’s usually not so open.  I wonder what it liked so much about you. A mundane with the Sight, no less.”

The man’s words seemed to pass through Alec’s mind like a blur.  One thing at the end caught his attention. “The Sight?”

“You can see things other people can’t see, right?” The guy asked, an all-knowing smirk on his face.

Alec paused, afraid to answer that. “...No.”

The guy didn’t seem to believe him. “Are you sure?”

“You know what—“ Alec snapped. “Stop it. Thanks for...whatever just happened. But I’m leaving. I shouldn’t even be here.”

“You didn’t answer my question.” The guy said before Alec could leave.

“Stop it. I’m not...” Alec huffed. “I don’t know what’s going on but I don’t want to be involved in whatever...weird cult supernatural thing is happening here.”

“I mean you’re not wrong...” the guy said. “I can explain it to you. There are rules about mundane knowing about it but if you have the Sight.”

Alec paused before shaking his head and turning to leave. “Okay, goodbye.”

“Wait,” the boy stopped him, “how do you have the Sight?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“The Sight. I know you can see things no one else can.”

“No I can’t. I told you that.”

“Yes you can,” the guy said, “I know that because you’re so defensive about it. And you shouldn’t have been able to see me when you ran into me earlier.”

“What do you mean I shouldn’t have been able to see you?”

“I can go invisible to mundanes. Well, normal humans. It’s called a glamour. You also wouldn’t have been able to see that demon that just attacked you. But you are able to see it all. Demons, Shadowhunters, probably vampires and werewolves and fair folk too.”

Not only was this conversation about fictional beings making Alec uncomfortable, but what was also unnerving was the fact that Alec felt like he’d heard these terms before. Outside of fantasy books and movies. It was like the evening was giving him a constant feeling of tugging at familiarity. But there couldn’t be any familiarity here. He’d never been to Brooklyn and never got involved in any gang or supernatural activity. He wasn’t even allowed to join the D&D Club when he was in middle school.

“Hey.”

Alec hadn’t realized he zoned out for a moment. He shook his head. “Okay. Thanks again, whoever you are, for whatever just happened. But I’m not involved in this. I just need to get back to Manhattan.”

“Jace.” The guy said.

“What?”

“Jace. That’s my name. Jace Wayland. And you’re welcome…” He trailed off with the tone of wanting to know Alec’s name as well.

Alec sighed, looking away. His mind was already on finding a new way back to Manhattan. “Alec.”

“Nice name.” Jace said casually.

“Well…Alexander.” Alec said without really thinking of it, looking down the block. But he caught himself a second later, figuring it was unnecessary information to give. “Never mind. Bye.”

But Jace was staring at him with an odd expression. His eyes were a little wider now, with a hint in them that they were trying to connect dots to figure something out. Alec took a step back.

“Alexander?” Jace said. Alec didn’t respond. He was still weirded out. “Alexander Lightwood, you mean?”

Alec continued to stare at Jace for a moment before deciding he’d had enough of this, and he finally started walking away.

But Jace was quick and caught up to him. “Are you Alexander Gideon Lightwood?”

“No!” Alec kept trying to walk away but Jace was relentless.

“You didn’t missing outside the Institute fourteen years ago?”

“The what?”

“The Institute. Looks like a church here in Brooklyn. To mundanes it looks abandoned.”

“No. Of course not,” Alec thought this was getting more and more ridiculous, “I’ve never been to Brooklyn before.”

“You live in New York and have never been to Brooklyn before?” Jace raised his eyebrows, as if that was the most atrocious thing said all night.

“Yeah, and after all this crap went on tonight, I’m not about to come back. So bye.”

“Wait—“ Jace made a grab for Alec’s arm.

Alec had always had quick reaction time. And he’d always been pretty strong despite him never really having any kind of workout routine. It had always been natural. So when he felt Jace grab his arm, Alec was quick to twist his arm out of Jace’s grasp, and his strength helped to shove Jace away from him. He could feel that Jace was also strong, but it seemed like Alec had surprise on his side. It was all effective, anyway; Jace was off of him. “Stay he hell away from me.” Jace was staring at Alec, but Alec just turned and left, finally getting away from this mess that just happened.

* * *

 

Alec finally made it onto a train that took him back to Manhattan. It wasn't until he sat down and the train started rolling that he noticed he still had the black splatters on his shirt and jacket. He forgot what the guy -- Jace -- had called it. Demon something. Despite the fact that Jace had said it could burn through skin, Alec took a risk anyway. He touched the tip of his finger to the black liquid.  Within a second, Alec felt his fingertip start to burn, and he quickly wiped the liquid back onto his shirt. He looked around. There were only a few people in the train car with him, none of them looking his way. Either way, a teenager with black splatters on his shirt wouldn't be the weirdest thing one would see on the New York Subway. 

The events that had just happened kept playing over in Alec's mind. All he was trying to do was get home, but instead he was attacked by some creature, and the guy Jace made it disappear. And Jace had been insistent that Alec could see things that other people couldn't, despite Alec saying he couldn't.

Because Alec was not about to admit that Jace was right. Ever since he was little he remembered seeing some people with fangs, others with odd tattoos or markings on them, things that clearly weren't in the realm of human normalcy. And whenever he'd point it out to his mother or uncle, they'd be quick to tell him to stop making things up, and scolding him for even bringing anything up. At a young age, Alec thought that was normal, and he soon learned that it wasn't normal to see these things, and he shouldn't talk about it. Even when he started going to a normal school, he tried to see if anyone else saw these strange things too, but to no avail. Alec just grew up never mentioning any of it, that he'd just live with the secret. 

But that wasn't all that unnerved him about the encounter either. The worst part of it was that so much of it seemed so familiar.  Not just the mention of demons and werewolves and vampires, because Alec just knew those words came from books and movies. But the things like Shadowhunter, the Institute, the looks of the tattoos on Jace, even the name Lightwood. Jace had called him Alexander Lightwood...

But Alec hadn't gone by Alexander since before he was adopted. And he had no idea where the name Lightwood or Shadowhunter came from, despite those words now feeling like they were nagging at him.  That they were so familiar to him but he just couldn't put his finger on it...

* * *

 

"Izzy!" 

Jace raced through the Institute, dodging others in his way. They gave him looks but he didn't care all that much. He needed to find Izzy. And he prayed that she would be alone so he could tell her what just happened. 

Jace finally made it to Izzy's room and pounded on her door. "Izzy, open up!"

Suddenly the door was thrown open, and Isabelle was on the other side. Her hair was pulled back and she was in a nightgown, clearly getting ready for bed. "What do you want?" She asked with frustration only an annoyed sister could muster.

Jace shoved his way past her, despite her protests. He closed the door behind him. 

"Jace, what the hell are you--"

"I need to tell you something. No one else can know."

"And this has to happen now?"

"Yes, Izzy--" Jace took a breath, "I think I found Alexander."

Izzy's frustration disappeared and she stared at Jace with wide eyes. "You what?"

"I'm pretty sure it was him. He's here, in New York." Jace was pretty certain it was him. But he wasn't one hundred percent sure. 

"What do you mean? You found him?" Izzy was suddenly flustered with this revelation.

"I'm pretty sure. He was on his way to Manhattan. We can get together a mission, Maryse and I can lead it..."

"No." Izzy said, making Jace stop and stare at her. Why wouldn't she want to find her brother again? "Jace, you can't be certain that whoever you saw was Alexander."

"I'm pretty sure, Iz."

"It's not good enough though."

"Izzy, are you serious?"

"Yes I am," Izzy said. "I'm not saying we shouldn't find him and make sure it was him. I'm saying my parents have already followed enough leads to find him and none of them have been successful. They've already been hurt too much from this. If it's not Alec, then at least we can spare them the pain."

"So, you're saying..."

"I'm saying you and I will go find this guy again. Tomorrow." 

 


	4. Crossing Paths

Alec woke up the next morning to the sound of banging cabinets and feet shuffling around the apartment. He knew it was his uncle, since this was his usual Saturday morning ritual. It was the same thing most weekends: his uncle Russell would come to the apartment Friday night, then spend the following morning impatiently grumbling around the kitchen, making coffee and breakfast.

Alec rolled over and checked his phone. It was already past ten am, well past when he normally slept on a Saturday morning. He didn’t get home until late last night. And didn’t fall asleep until after he took off the clothes stained with the black liquid and calmed his mind down enough from thinking about last night’s events.

Alec rolled out of bed and exited his bedroom. As he thought, his Uncle Russell was in the kitchen, while his mother was in the living room watching the morning news.

“Nice of you to finally wake up,” Russell commented when he saw Alec. “Decided to sleep in?”

Alec took a seat on a barstool. “I didn’t get home until late last night.” Russell hadn’t arrived yet when Alec got home, and he could tell his mother, Meredith, had tried to stay awake to make sure Alec got home okay. She was fast asleep in front of the TV when he got home.

“Oh I heard,” Russell said. “Decided to take a field trip?” His tone wasn’t happy.

But Alec was used to brushing off digs like that. It was just how Russell was. “I just got on the wrong train.”

“Can’t pay attention, then?”

“Oh stop it Russell.” It was Alec’s mother. She stepped into the kitchen and into their conversation. For which Alec was grateful. Meredith was a little more understanding than Russell. Often Alec wondered what it was like for them growing up as siblings. Alec never had a sibling, and his mother and uncle were so opposite he couldn’t imagine it. 

Meredith put a hand on his shoulder. “He made it home alright, didn’t he?”

“After getting on the wrong train.” Russell snapped.

Alec rolled his eyes. “Yeah okay I get it.”

“Do you?” Russell was glaring at Alec.

Meredith waved her hand at her brother. “Stop it. Both of you. It’s all fine.”

Russell seemed to let it go after that, but Alec still saw that he wasn’t happy. Alec got up to pour himself some coffee. “If it makes you feel any better, Uncle Russell, last night made me certain I never want to go back to Brooklyn again.”

Alec heard a clatter of metal behind him, and when he turned around he saw that Russell had stopped preparing his eggs and had dropped his utensils.“You went to Brooklyn?” Russell turned on Alec again.

“Yeah…” Alec said, confused at Russell’s reaction.

“I told you never to go to Brooklyn,” growled Russell. “We’ve told you—“

“I took the wrong train” Alec tried, “That’s where it brought me. I didn’t decide to end up there.”

“Brooklyn’s dangerous. Something could’ve happened to you.”

“I was fine!” Alec insisted. He decided then to not get into the details of what happened last night. If Russell was this mad about Alec ending up in Brooklyn, he’d never let Alec leave the apartment if he knew the truth.

Russell looked like he wanted to say more, while Meredith was standing near the two boys wondering if she still needed to intervene. After a few moments Russell stormed out of the kitchen and to the bathroom, and soon Alec heard the shower running.

Alec sighed and went back to preparing himself some coffee. “What’s the big deal with Brooklyn?” Of course, after last night, Alec had plenty of reasons to be wary of it. He just didn’t know why Russell reacted so strongly to it.

Meredith shrugged. “Well, you were adopted out of Brooklyn.”

That made Alec stop. “I was?”

Meredith nodded, though she didn’t seem that bothered by this information. “Yep. I believe it was some religious adoption agency we got you from.”

“You don’t remember?” That seemed like pretty important information that she would’ve remembered.

Meredith shrugged. “It all happened so suddenly.Russell always said it was like… we picked you up outside of a church one day, and that was that. That’s just how these things are sometimes. Some people go through a big process, others…”

Meredith kept going on for a bit, while Alec remained mentally stuck on one detail. ‘Picked up outside a church.’ He thought back to last night, when the guy Jace had asked him if he had gone missing fourteen years ago, outside a place that looked like a church.That would’ve been the year he was adopted, and apparently outside a church…

“Alec?” Alec snapped back to the moment, and saw his mother looking at him. He’d zoned out. “You okay, sweetie?”

“Yeah, I’m…I’m fine. I’m um… I’m gonna go out again.”

“Right now? You just woke up.”

“Yeah, um…” Alec started toward his room, “I just want to get out, you know? It’s a nice day.”

Alec was dressed and out of the apartment a few minutes later. He just knew he needed to get out. Maybe last night was just getting to him too much, and he needed to clear his head.  But he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to this whole situation.

* * *

“Your bright idea was to just go to Manhattan and hope we find this guy again? Are you serious?” Izzy gave Jace an earful on their way into the city the following morning. He didn’t want to admit it, but she had a point. He really hadn’t thought this through. It did however, allow Izzy to take over once they got to Manhattan. She had some connections among the Downworld in the area, and soon they had leads on a few mundanes who appeared to have the Sight. It wasn’t much to go on, but in case they reached a dead end with this situation, Jace and Izzy wanted to keep a low profile. There would be a stir if it was known that they were looking for the lost little Shadowhunter again.

Jace and Izzy spent hours in the morning chasing the few leads they got, none of them ended up being the Alec that Jace met last night. The only thing they ended up finding were more mundanes who may (or may not) have had the Sight.

“This is why I didn’t want to involve our parents,” Izzy said to Jace. Their motivation into this search had dwindled with each new lead that failed, and they were resting in one of the lawns in North Central Park, soaking in the sun. Jace was lying on his back, his eyes closed, while Izzy sat next to him, watching mundanes pass them by. “Every new lead that fails means their hope disappears more and more.”

Jace knew Isabelle well enough at this point that he knew her tone suggested he was crazy in thinking the guy he found last night was in fact Alexander. Maybe it wasn’t. Maybe it was all a coincidence and it was just a guy with a similar appearance with the Sight. Maybe this mission was all hubris. Jace only hoped now they’d find the guy — Alec — again just so they could confirm it wasn’t the Lightwood’s missing son. “What about you?” Jace said, opening his eyes to look at Izzy. “You barely seem phased by this. Doesn’t it do something for you? It’s your brother. By blood.”

Izzy remained silent for a moment. “I barely remember Alexander. Most of what I know of him is that he disappeared. And it’s been fourteen years. If our parents and the other Conclave members spent so much time tracking him and never came up with anything, logically…” Izzy didn’t let herself finish that sentence.

“It’s not like there weren’t issues with the tracking, though,” Jace said. Of course, this was all secondhand information that Jace learned when he arrived in New York. “Tracking doesn’t go over water. And the warlocks weren’t exactly helpful either.”

“Well why would they be?” Izzy said. “The Clave was ready to blame the Downworlders for his disappearance.” Izzy sighed. Now was not the time for the debate about it. Izzy had her stance and Clave members had theirs. “It just isn’t the same situation for my parents as it is for me.”

“Iz…”

“I’m going for a walk,” Izzy said, abruptly standing up. She walked off the grass and down the path. Jace wouldn’t go after her.

Jace continued to lie down on the grass as several minutes passed. He wasn’t expecting Izzy to return right away. He passed his time thinking about the events of the previous night.

Recounting the night’s events almost made him miss it, and he had to blink a few times to make sure he was seeing this correctly. It was Alec, the guy he saved last night. He was wearing different clothes and it was different seeing him in the light of day, but it was definitely him. Jace got to his feet. They’d been chasing false leads all day and now he just happened to find Alec in Central Park of all places.

Alec’s back was to Jace, walking down the path when Jace started calling his name. “Alec! Alexander!”

Alec turned, a brief look of confusion on his face before it turned into what looked like a wave of dread. Jace couldn’t really be offended, after the night they had. “I thought I said stay the hell away from me,” Alec said. “Are you stalking me now?”

“Central Park is a public place,” Jace said when he caught up to Alec.

“This is New York, that’s impossible,” said Alec, clearly annoyed. Though he wasn’t making a move to leave or to get Jace away from him.

“Nothing’s impossible. You’d know that if you listened to me for just a second.” Jace had to admit, he was impressed by Alec. Few people could match Jace’s own sense of wit and humor. Alec seemed to do it easily. Even if this wasn’t the Alexander they were looking for, Jace was nonetheless impressed.

“About what, your stupid cult world?” Alec started to leave. “I have other things in my life I have to worry about.”

“Like what?”

“None of your business.”

“Jace!”

Both the boys turned to see Isabelle, who had returned out of a copse of trees and onto the path.

Alec was wondering who this girl was, and he was unnerved at how many featured they shared in their appearance. The girl was staring at him for a moment before she spoke. "Alexander?" She sounded almost breathless, like there was disbelief.

She stepped into the boys' space, and Alec took a step away. It had to be just another person in Jace's weird demon-cult. Something he wouldn't be involved in. "Look I don't know you guys and I don't know who you're looking for, but It's not me."

"Wait, we can explain..." Jace said.

Alec started to leave again. "No."

"Wait," Isabelle stepped in front of Alec, having regained her composure after the shock of seeing someone looking so much like her brother. "We're looking for my brother. He disappeared fourteen years ago. And yes, you look like him. But if you're not him then we will stop bothering you." Izzy was looking straight in Alec's eyes. "We just need you to help us right now."

Alec appeared almost moved by that, and it showed for a moment in his eyes. "Okay."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to everyone who has left comments and kudos on this story! I had hoped more would happen in this chapter, but it was getting very long. So I anticipate big steps forward in the story in the next chapter.


	5. Unfolding

Walking and talking.

That's what Aec, Izzy, and Jace did that afternoon. The trio aimlessly wandered out of Central Park and through the city, with none of them really having a destination or seeing where exactly they were going. It was just a time to get the situation out. Alec had agreed to help Isabelle, solely on the fact that she deserved to have some kind of answer about what happened to her missing older brother. If it was just Jace Alec had to deal with, it would have been a hard no on that. But Jace kept himself a few paces behind Alec and Izzy the entire time, only filling in a few comments where needed. But it was mostly Alec and Isabelle walking together, with Izzy recounting the events of her brother's disappearance fourteen years ago. Her account didn't go without Alec having a lot of questions in-between for her. 

"So this place where you live..." Alec started.

"The Institute," Izzy replied.

"Yeah that...it's just this big...hotel for people like you."

"Shadowhunters."

"Yes, for these Shadowhunters" Jace and Izzy had explained to Alec the general concept of what a Nephilim was, and it was still a weird concept to him. But he played along with it. "And you live there. Other Shadowhunters are all over and he just disappears?"

"He was outside, my parents turned their backs for a few minutes, and then he was gone. No one saw anything." Izzy had heard her parents tell the same story over and over for years, mostly to different Clave officials investigating the situation. 

"How does a kid just disappear? Especially if there are adults around? Even if he wandered off, you should've been able to find him. You guys can hunt demons, but not a little kid?"

Alec's words were hitting a sore spot for Izzy, but he didn't appear to notice. Jace did, however, even from a few steps behind them. 

Izzy could hold her own, however. "Tracking isn't always exact. And all these questions don't exactly help us now, do they?"

Alec shifted his shoulders. "I guess not..." Behind him, Jace smirked. The trio was now crossing over the bridge to Brooklyn. "So what does this have to do with me?"

"Well, you look like him..." Izzy didn't realize how weak of an excuse that was until she said it.

Alec shrugged. "A lot of people in New York could look like him. Eight and a half million people live in this city."

"You have the Sight," said Jace, still a few steps behind them. "You can see the Shadow World."

"And that's supposed to mean something?"

"It can and it can't," Izzy said, glancing back at Jace. "It doesn't always mean you're a Shadowhunter."

"Okay. So I don't know why you still need me. If none of this means I'm you brother, which I'm probably not--"

"Where are you from?"

It was Jace who had spoken up. Both Izzy and Alec turned to look at him. "I'm sorry?" Alec replied.

"I said, where are you from?" Jace repeated, "Have you always lived in New York?"

"Yes. I've lived in Fordham Heights since I was four. With my mom and uncle, they've both lived in New York forever too."

"What about before you were four?" Izzy asked, now in sync with Jace's questions. "Were you born somewhere else?"

"I was--" Alec stopped himself, even stopping in his tracks on the sidewalk. "I don't know. I mean, I know I'm from New York but I don't know where exactly. I was adopted."

Isabelle stood in front of Alec. "You were adopted? When you were four years old?"

"Yes..."

"From where?" Izzy seemed to be getting more excited about this, more intense. "From New York?"

Alec knew from this morning that he had in fact been adopted from Brooklyn, from outside a church. But he hesitated to reveal that. It was a small shot in the dark that he would be the boy they were looking for. A lot of kids are adopted in New York. And New York was huge. There was such a small chance they'd ever even find their missing boy.

"Alec." Izzy's intense tone snapped Alec back to the conversation. "This isn't a coincidence," she said, as if reading Alec's mind. "You look like and you're the same age as my brother. You said you were adopted at the same age my brother disappeared. You even have the same name as him." Izzy sighed. "Is there any chance at all that it was you who disappeared from the Institute, and you somehow ended up living with a mundane family all this time?"

There was a silence that followed, with all three of them letting this information sink in. Isabelle's expression in her eyes read that she knew she was right. Or she knew at least that the pieces they'd been dealt all fit together in her conclusion. Meanwhile, Alec's furrowed expression reflected his intention to continue to fight this. There was just no way.  Jace's expression remained neutral, though internally, he sided with Izzy. He knew his gut reaction after meeting Alec last night was true.

Jace stepped toward Alec and Isabelle, looking at Alec specifically. "You can't deny that she has a point," Jace said. Alec still didn't respond immediately. Jace gestured over his shoulder. "The Institute is around the corner. You'll probably recognize it."

Alec stared between Jace and Isabelle. They had very clearly accepted this. This insane notion that Alec was supposed to live in their odd world of demons and hidden institutes. It was all too much for him to handle. Alec looked away from them, and when he felt Izzy's hand on his arm, he jerked away. "No--just stop!"

Alec took a few steps back. Isabelle and Jace seemed alarmed and confused. Alec shook his head. "Look, I'm sorry about your brother. But this is...insane. You can't think I could be him..."

"Alec, this isn't some coincidence," said Jace. 

"Yes it is!" Alec snapped. "I'm...I'm not part of whatever cult thing you guys are part of. I didn't disappear from some magic church when I was little. I'm just a guy who grew up with an adoptive mom and uncle, and that's it. I'm not about to give that up because I look like someone you lost."

Alec's words hit both of them hard, especially Izzy. It showed in her eyes, though her expression didn't change. Jace meanwhile, had looked away from Alec.

"I'm sorry but... I don't want to be part of this." With that, Alec turned and walked away from Jace and Isabelle. 

His mind was still spinning as he made it a few blocks away. Alec hadn't even realized how late it had gotten; apparently he'd been talking with Jace and Isabelle for most of the afternoon. The sun was already going down and there was a cold autumn bite in the air. Alec shoved his hands into his pockets, realizing he was in nearly the exact same place he was last night: Walking alone through Brooklyn just trying to get home.

And all it made him think of was his mother and uncle, and how they'd taken him into their home when he was so young...the same age that apparently Isabelle's brother disappeared. Alec would be the same age as this missing brother as well. Despite Alec trying so hard to tell himself that all of this was ridiculous, too many of these puzzle pieces came together. The idea that he didn't really have a grasp on where he was before he was adopted, the fact that Jace and Isabelle could explain why he could sometimes see things others couldn't, and how they'd been so insistent about all of this...It was scary to him in many ways. He thought of his mother, and how she'd done so much to care for him since he was adopted. Alec suddenly stopped in his tracks. Just this morning his mom told him he'd been adopted from Brooklyn, that he'd been picked up outside a church.

But he couldn't shake the fact that it all fit together. Too well, in fact. Too many things had hints of familiarity and fit together too well for Alec to continue ignoring all of this. Maybe...

Alec turned around, making his way back to where he'd left Jace and Isabelle. He knew he should just go home but after everything that had been revealed today, he wasn't really sure of anything anymore.  

Alec found the corner where he'd left the two others, but they were gone. Of course, he wouldn't have expected them to stick around anyway. But Jace had mentioned that their Institute place was just around the corner. Alec continued, and he believed he found the place he was looking for a minute later.

Only, the Institute had been described to him as huge and grand, a place where a hundred Shadowhunters could live at once. This place looked...well, it just looked like a dark church with no one inside. And something seemed off about it as well. Alec thought it to be just him being tired from everything going on but there was almost a fuzzy quality to the church as he looked at it. He had an odd sense that there was more to it.

Alec sighed and leaned against the brick wall that he stood next to. The day had exhausted him, and he felt like he needed to sort out his thoughts but he was lost as to where he should even start doing that.

"You look a little lost, Shadowhunter."

Alec looked up at the voice that was apparently speaking to him. This man seemed to appear from nowhere, because Alec certainly would've noticed someone like this. The man wore a deep red jacket that almost reached the ground, and had dark swirling patterns that sparkled under a streetlamp. He also had some kind of glittering makeup on his face, a face that had a small smile on it. Like he was amused to find Alec here on the sidewalk. 

It took Alec a moment to collect himself before responding. "You...why'd you call me that?"

The man stepped forward. "Intuition... And I saw you talking with Jace and Isabelle a few minutes ago."

"You know them?" Alec asked.

"Almost unfortunately," the man smirked. "Isabelle is fine. Jace's arrogance however...that might get him killed one day."

Alec didn't know how to respond to that. So the mysterious guy continued. "You don't seem like you're thrilled to know them either."

Alec shrugged and looked back at the church. "They seem to think I'm--I'm one of them. But I'm not. I don't...I don't know what to believe anymore." Alec paused. "Sorry, I shouldn't be telling you this. I don't even know you."

"Oh that's quite alright. We can solve that issue. I'm Magnus Bane." Magnus was still smiling, but Alec had little reaction. "And I might be able to solve your other problem as well."

"What?"

"You say you're confused about if you're a Shadowhunter. Let's figure that out."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to everyone who has left comments and kudos on this story!


	6. Make Up Your Mind, You Want Clarity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to everyone who continues to comment and leave kudos on this fic!  
> The chapter title is a reference to the musical Next to Normal.

"What are you talking about?"

"Let's find out. You being a Shadowhunter. I can help with that." 

Alec took a step back. This man, Magnus, had appeared out of nowhere, and somehow knew about this whole Shadowhunter business, and now was apparently willing to help Alec find out whether or not he was part of it all as well. "I don't even know you."

"You don't really know Jace and Isabelle either, I assume. Yet you spoke with them for a while. Enough for them to think you are one of them," said Magnus.

Alec shoved his hands into his pockets. "That's different."

"How is it different?"

Alec didn't have an answer once he realized Jace and Izzy found him alone on the street, and now so did Magnus. "I don't know. And how would you even help me anyway?"

Magnus took a step toward Alec, but still kept his distance simply based on Alec's resistance to the situation. "There are some spells I can use. Or other ways to test for Angel blood in a person."

Alec had a lot of questions from just one statement. "I'm sorry--spells?"

Magnus gave him a confused look and pointed at himself. "Warlock?" He said, as if it were obvious. 

Alec's shoulders sagged and he looked away. He'd just grasped the idea of demons and demon hunters. Now warlocks existed too?

Though Alec's silent reaction seemed to help Magnus understand the situation better. "I see...well, welcome to the Shadow Club."

Alec shrugged. "I didn't exactly ask to join."

Magnus held his hands up. "Okay...from the beginning. What exactly is the situation going on here? Because it kind of seems like there's more going on than just Isabelle Lightwood and Jace Wayland happening upon you and thinking you're a Shadowhunter."

Alec had to admit, Magnus was good. Though he was a little unnerved about the idea of this warlock reading him so well. "Why should I tell you?"

"Just try me," Magnus said. "I have a lot of life experience."

Alec sighed. Maybe an outside party would help him at least organize his thoughts about everything going on. Because clearly he wasn't handling it well himself. Though, he didn't know Magnus. But he wasn't afraid of the warlock. Magnus seemed like he genuinely wanted to know what was happening. 

Alec paused a few more moments. "Jace and Izzy think I'm a Shadowhunter. But... they think I'm a Shadowhunter kid that went missing fourteen years ago. I mean, some stuff makes sense. It was the same time I was adopted and I can see stuff that other people can't and there's stuff that my mom and uncle have told me that also fit in to all of this." Alec shook his head. "But I'd remember any of this, right? And it's a small chance that I'd be the kid... It's giving up everything I knew about my life and..." He stopped. "Sorry. There's just a lot to unpack..."

But Magnus appeared to look interested in Alec's situation. His gaze seemed to intensify when Alec looked at him. Magnus stepped forward. "Fascinating..." He said, the gears working in his head. 

"Wouldn't I remember something like this?" Alec said. "I mean... I was four. It's not like I was an infant."

"Usually we don't have control over what memories we suppress," Magnus replied. "That age is young enough to forget."

"This seems like a lot to forget about," said Alec.

"Well," Magnus replied, "It is possible. There's a spell I can use that can help you access your repressed memories. Let's say we look back at when you say you were adopted. It could clear up this whole mess."

It was tempting, Alec had to admit. All he wanted from this was clarity. Maybe he was the missing Shadowhunter, maybe he wasn't. All this was just torturing him and Jace and Izzy--especially Izzy-- by not knowing. "What do you mean by spell?"

"I'll be able to access your memories, if you'll let me," Magnus explained, "And only for a few moments. Now, whatever you'll see I will also see. And it won't hurt at all, I assure you."

"You've done this before?"

"Many times," Magnus nodded. "Are you ready?"

Everything Alec was taught growing up told him he shouldn't trust some random stranger on the sidewalk who said he was a warlock and offered to help Alec access any repressed memories. But part of Alec trusted Magnus. "Yes."

A swirl of blue suddenly swirled around Magnus' fingertips, and Alec had to stop himself from backing out right as he saw it. At least this confirmed Magnus' magical ability. And things were so weird already, Alec had nothing to lose. Magnus stepped closer to Alec, his hand outstretched. "Just relax. and you can stop it at any time," said the warlock. And with that, Magnus put his fingertips to Alec's head, and Alec closed his eyes. 

Alec first felt a tingling sensation from Magnus' fingertips. And soon it turned into a feeling of warmth that helped Alec relax into it. Alec no longer felt like Magnus might actually be a fake or try to hurt him. Suddenly Alec felt a swirling sensation in his head, and a blue swirl behind his closed eyes. It almost made Alec feel like he was going to stumble over with vertigo, but he made himself focus. He thought about whatever memories his younger self had forgotten. And before he knew it, he could see a bright sunny day. The bright rays made the grass in view glitter, and he could see and hear the bustle of the city around his immediate surroundings. In the corner of his eye, he could see a massive, imposing cathedral-looking building. In front of him was a stone railing, worn to smoothness from the weather and the apparent old age. He was standing on the stone stoop of the big church. Not only could Alec see these surroundings, he could feel them as well, as if he was right there instead of a street in Brooklyn. Alec felt smaller though, younger. And he was holding onto the stone railing in front of him. Magnus had said he could access Alec's memories, so this had to be real. It had to have happened, even though presently, he felt like he was experiencing it for the first time.

Alec looked around briefly before his eyes landed on a man standing in front of him.  _"Go back inside, Alexander."_

Alec didn't know how to respond to that. But this younger, memory version of himself seemed to know.  _"Please can I stay outside, dad?"_

Dad? Was this supposed to be Alec's father? Maybe his biological father. Alec had to admit, there was a strong resemblance. The man paused before saying.  _"Just don't move. Stay right here."_ And he turned to walk away. He joined a group of others on the other side of the lawn.

Little Alec stayed where he was for a moment before a little sparkling light caught his eye in a nearby shrub. He glanced over at the group of adults far away, and because none of them seemed to be paying attention, little Alec hopped off of the stoop and cut across the grass toward that little sparkling light. Alec didn't think much of it. He was curious, yes, but not enough to disobey an adult and go across the lawn. But he only watched as he stayed in the eyes of his younger self. He figured it made sense for his little four-year-old self to be curious about something crawling in the bushes for a few minutes. 

But he kept following it. Even after whatever little creature this was kept flitting further away, little Alec kept following it. Alec had to wonder why no one had noticed him yet, or called after him. His little self just kept going, wanting to see this little creature.  Soon enough, the little glittering critter made it to the gate of the fence surrounding the lawn and the church inside. The little light flew out of the gate and out of sight.

And yet, little Alec kept following it. He hesitated at the gate before stepping out onto the sidewalk, looking around. Some people were walking past, and no one paid much attention to him. But he couldn't see that creature anymore. He took another step out.

Alec nearly jumped when he felt a strong hand close around his little arm and started, almost literally, dragging him away. Little Alec struggled to stay on his feet as the man dragged him. He looked up to the man and tried to say something, only to he shushed and closed off from knowing what was happening. Alec froze. Even behind the man's hat and sunglasses, and the unfamiliar beige jacket, Alec knew who that was.

It was his uncle Russell.

Little Alec turned around, and Alec saw the old, dilapidated church where he'd currently left Izzy and Jace. Where Magnus found him.

Alec stumbled backwards, out of Magnus' reach. He felt a whooshing sensation that left him a little lightheaded as he was sucked back to reality and out of his memory. He went backwards and into a brick wall. It was welcome, since Alec needed something to hold himself up. He caught Magnus staring at him, a curious and yet startled look on his face. 

"That was you..." Magnus said, but Alec barely heard it. His head was swimming with everything that he just saw.

"Was that real?" Alec asked. "I mean, did that all really happen to me?  _Was_ that even me?"

"Yes, it was a real memory," Magnus replied, remaining composed. "I can't make new memories for you. And, admittedly, it's not so surprising you forgot it. You were so young, probably trying to make sense of what happened..."

Alec ran his hands through his hair and kept them there, trying to think straight. "The man... I called him my dad."

"That was Robert Lightwood," Magnus explained. "He's also Isabelle's father, and head of the Institute."

Alec felt color drain from his face. That meant... "So I am Izzy's brother. I'm... a Shadowhunter."

Magnus stepped toward Alec. "I wasn't in New York the week this happened, but I do remember it." A far-off look appeared in Magnus' eyes. "A young Shadowhunter disappears outside the New York Institute. Everyone in the Shadow World was on edge even long after you disappeared, especially the Nephilim. But you seemed to be gone without a trace...Do you know the man that took you? From the memory?"

Of course Alec knew. He knew the face of someone who raised him. He stood up straighter. "Russell. My uncle. Or... not my uncle. He..." Alec trailed off.

"You were taken," Magnus confirmed for him. "By a mundane."

There was no denying it now. And he couldn't deny his own memory. Or how every piece of this puzzle fit together perfectly. He was the little Shadowhunter kid that disappeared fourteen years ago.

Alec turned while he was processing this toward the Institute again, and he couldn't help but startle. When he first saw this, it was a little abandoned church. Now it looked like the cathedral from his memory, with steeples towering into the sky and windows glimmering in the setting sun. Like it had grown bigger in the last few minutes. "Why does it look like that now?"

"Look like what?" Magnus asked, looking at the Institute.

"It looked... it looked smaller a second ago. It was abandoned..."

Magnus nodded. "That must be your Sight coming back."

"Coming back?"

"The Sight can cut in and out if you live long enough as a mundane, whether you were born with it or not. Now that you have your memory back..." Magnus stopped when he saw Alec starting to look distressed. "Look, this is a lot of information all at once."

"That's an understatement."

Magnus gave an amused smile. "I think you have family waiting inside for you."

Alec glanced at the Institute. He did indeed have family, who have been waiting for him for fourteen years. He turned back to Magnus. "Will you come with me?"

Magnus seemed surprised by that request. "Why do you need me?"

Alec chewed his lip for a moment. "I trust you."

The amused smile returned to Magnus' expression. "Sure. But I can't stay long. And only a Shadowhunter can open the doors so..." He gestured to the Institute. "After you, Shadowhunter."

Alec nodded and crossed the street with Magnus. So much had happened in the last two days, but while Alec still felt like he'd been thrown into the deep end of a pool with all of this new information, he also felt a sense fullness. Everything made sense to him now. The feeling like he was missing something or things didn't piece together, that was all gone.

They cut across the Institute lawn, which now looked familiar to Alec and up the stone steps to the front door. He recognized the weathered stone railing and passed his hand over it as he ascended. The big wooden doors had a familiar looking rune carved into them, though Alec didn't know what it meant.

"Ready?" Magnus asked.

Alec looked at the warlock, then back at the doors, nodding finally. "Ready."

Alec put his hand on the handle, and pushed the door open.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy holidays everyone!  
> Just to answer from a comment I got recently: I have no intention of ending this story now or anytime soon. I have lots of ideas for Alec and the gang here, so it doesn't end here. Thanks to everyone who is reading this!


	7. I Am the One

Once inside, Magnus helped direct Alec, since Magnus explained he'd been here many times before for work and assignments. There was an elevator up to the first floor of the Institute, where "all the action is" as Magnus put it. Alec started getting nervous as the elevator ascended.

The door opened to a big open room, and Alec first registered groups of people, most dressed in black and sporting the same marks that Izzy and Jace were, all mingling around the room. A lot of them turned when the elevator door opened, and gave a look of confusion when they saw a stranger with a warlock entering their space. Alec averted his eyes uncomfortably as he stepped out of the elevator, Magnus close behind him. He hadn't really thought about how he was going to go about this. He knew though that he needed to talk to Jace and Isabelle.

They seemed to read his mind, because not a moment later, the two of them came around the corner and stopped in surprise when they saw Alec standing there, with Magnus of all people. 

“Alec?” Izzy spoke first. They approached him, almost blocking out the other Shadowhunters in the Institute. Though Alec could still feel their staring eyes all on him right now. 

Jace seemed to be looking between Alec and Magnus. “What’s going on here?”

Alec noted some kind of animosity in Jace’s voice, but he had other things on his mind. He stepped up to Izzy.

“Alec, what is it?” She asked, seeing his nervous expression.

He didn’t know how best to say this, so it took Alec a moment to finally say something. “I remember.”

“What?” Izzy breathed.

“Magnus helped me remember. I... I know what happened that day. The day I went missing.”

Isabelle seemed to put the pieces together, but she wanted Alec to say it. “The day you...”

Alec nodded slowly. “When I went missing outside the Institute. I’m... I’m that kid that went missing. I’m your brother, Izzy.”

There was a heavy pause after Alec was done speaking, and he couldn’t help but wonder if other people could hear him, or just Izzy and Jace. Alec's eyes darted between Jace and Izzy, and he didn't know either of them well enough to really read their reactions. Jace seemed entirely unreadable, though there was something in his eyes that Alec noticed but couldn't put his finger on. Interest, maybe. 

Izzy seemed frozen for a moment, and Alec was just starting to think he'd said something wrong when Izzy stepped up close to him, reached out and shoved him on the shoulder. Alec stumbled back a step, the action startling him more than anything else. "What the hell--"

"I told you so," Izzy grabbed Alec and pulled him in, crushing him in a hug. Alec was caught in another moment of surprise before he returned the gesture, hugging his little sister. He soon forgot everyone around them staring, even forgetting Magnus and Jace, who were still standing so close to them. All that mattered was that Isabelle was his sister, his blood. He was back where he was supposed to be.

Something felt right again.

"What made you change your mind?" Izzy asked gently before finally pulling away from the hug. 

Alec gestured to Magnus, who was still standing a few steps away, not wanting to intrude on the Lightwoods' moment. "I ran into Magnus. He did...something, and it helped me remember."

"A simple memory spell," Magnus interjected, stepping forward.

Izzy reached out and took Magnus' hand, the look in here eyes full of genuine gratitude. "Thank you, Magnus."

A beat passed while Magnus nodded, glancing at Alec once more. 

"What would you like for payment?" It was Jace, still lingering a few feet away, but nonetheless catching everything that was said. He had that intense look on his face that Alec was starting to think was just a permanent feature. 

"What do you mean--" Alec started, though Magnus cut in before he could finish.

"None," said the warlock. "It's on the house."

Jace's eyes narrowed. "Really?"

"I wouldn't joke about that," Magnus replied. 

Jace gave a single nod. "Then your services are no longer required for the evening. Thank you for your time."

"Wait a sec--" Alec started again.

Magnus held up a hand. "It's fine. I shouldn't intrude on a family affair anyway." He looked in Alec's eyes. "I'm happy you're home. See you around, Alexander." With that, Magnus turned and left the way they both came.

Alec watched him leave, his eyes lingering on the elevator doors even after they closed. Then he turned to Jace and Izzy. "What was that all about?"

Jace simply shrugged. "He gives us a service, we pay him. Usually he's expensive."

"You didn't have to make him leave."

"Alec, it's no big deal."

"Boys," Izzy ended up between Alec and Jace. "Not now."

Alec then realized that everything that had just happened was still on display. The other Shadowhunters were still looking at them, though none of them heard most of what just happened. Alec shifted uncomfortably. "Can we...get out of here?"

Izzy took Alec by the arm. "Come on."

* * *

 "This was your bedroom."

Alec had felt awkward under the watch of the other Shadowhunters in the Institute. Izzy eventually ushered him away from the main room, and she led him down a hallway. Some doors were open to show empty bedrooms with big double beds and all with similar looking furniture.  Very few of them looked like they were occupied. 

The Lightwoods had their own hallway, and Izzy had opened the door to Alec's alleged old bedroom. Alec stepped inside, looking around. It had the same wood-paneled walls and wallpaper that most of the other bedrooms had. As well as the furniture and giant bed in the middle of the room. Alec didn't have the same vague familiarity toward this room like he did other parts of the Institute.

"Stuff's changed a bit in here since you were last here," Izzy said. 

Alec shrugged. "Honestly, I don't even remember it anyway."

"It's fine. It's still yours. It's always been yours. Well, Max used some of your old stuff after he was born."

"Who's Max?"

Alec could guess even before Izzy answered. "Our little brother."

Despite the fact that Alec had just accepted that this was his family, it was still weird to hear things like the fact that he had a little brother, or that he and Isabelle shared a little brother.

"He's with our parents right now."

"And where would that be?"

"They're in Idris. Some Clave business. Jace is sending them a fire message right now."

"I'm going to pretend like I know what all of that means," Alec said. 

Izzy smiled. "Don't worry, you'll learn it soon enough."

He'd have to, Alec thought. He'd have to learn it, because this was his life now. Nervousness crept in and was telling him that he could've said no to Magnus' help, and that he could've just gone home... No, not home. That place couldn't technically be his home. But if he was at that home, he wouldn't have been thrown into a strange world of magic and demons. But, this was the life he'd been taken away from--

"Alec?"

Alec snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head. "Sorry."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah um," he quickly tried to redirect. "So, our parents are coming here?"

Izzy stepped further into the room and sat on the corner of the double bed. "Yep. Hopefully they'll get it late enough that they have to come tomorrow?"

"Why wouldn't they come tonight?" Alec asked.

Izzy shrugged. "I thought you'd feel crowded if they came tonight.

Alec paused, caught off guard by that comment but flattered by it, nonetheless. He figured he had everything else thrown at him today, why not throw his real parents into the mix as well? But he exhaled in relief and sat down next to Izzy.

"I have some making up to do as your big brother, don't I?" Alec asked with a light chuckle.

Izzy put an arm around his shoulders. "Don't worry about that now. You have plenty of time to do that later. But..."

Izzy was interrupted by Jace stomping down the hall and stopping at the door. He leaned against the doorframe. "Message is sent. They should get it tomorrow morning."

"Thanks Jace."

Jace stepped further into the room. "One thing they're definitely going to want to know is..." He looked directly at Alec, "What exactly happened the day you went missing?"

A tense pause filled the space between the three of them. Alec took in a deep breath. Shit, he'd been trying to avoid that particular topic of the situation. 

"I don't want to talk about it," Alec replied.

"As much as I can relate to not talking about things," Jace said, earning another glare from Izzy, "It's going to have to happen eventually. You were gone for fourteen years."

"Thanks Captain Obvious," muttered Alec. 

"And you were living with mundanes for that long, right?"

Alec had been hoping he could avoid this part for a little while longer. He'd been doing his best to ignore the fact that his phone was still in his jacket pocket, and if it wasn't currently turned off, it's be lighting up with text messages and phone calls from his mom and his uncle. As much as he wanted to make up for all the time he lost in this Shadowhunter world, there was still that life he lived in Manhattan, where he was just a normal person with overprotective guardians.

Alec had to realize that life wasn't going away just because he found out the truth.

"Yes, I was living with normal people during that time," he explained. He got up from the bed and crossed to the window, his back turned to Izzy and Jace while he looked down at the Institute lawn. "The memory that Magnus helped me with... that morning I was outside with...I guess it was Dad, my real dad. I started chasing after something in the bushes, I just wanted to see what it was...I wandered out of the gate and a guy took me by the arm and just walked me away." Alec could see the gate in question now, just out of range of a streetlamp on the sidewalk. "His name's Russell Reese. I called him my uncle ever since then. His sister was my mother. They said they adopted me and that was that."

Another silence lapsed the room while the information set in, and Jace and Izzy were waiting to see if Alec would say anything more. After a few moments, Alec pulled his phone out of his pocket and turned it on before tossing it onto the bed. Sure enough, it started taking in all of the missed calls, texts, and voicemails from the twelve hours he'd been away from the apartment today.

Izzy leaned over to see the screen. "Mom and Russel?" She read.

Alec took a deep breath. "They kidnapped me..."

The words weighed down on Alec as he finally admitted them. It was so much easier to say he'd wandered off, or he was adopted. Those he could accept. Kidnapping though...

"Eventually we'll have to find out what they know."

It was Izzy who had spoken. Alec stared at her. "What do you mean?"

"If they took a Shadowhunter child, they could know about us. It's forbidden for mundanes to know about our existence. If they know they could spread it around or take another Nephilim child..."

"No," Alec cut in. "I don't think they knew."

"Well they wouldn't have told you that they knew, would they? If they were keeping you hidden," said Jace. 

Jace had a point there. Alec shrugged. "I mean yes, I would like to know what they knew and why Russell took me. But I don't think it'll be as simple as just asking them."

"We can start there though," Jace said. "Ask them and see what they tell you up front. Then we'll go from there."

Izzy shook her head. "No, we're not."

Alec and Jace book looked at Izzy. "Why not?" Jace asked. "Alec can do it himself, we won't even need a Clave authorization if he does it."

"No!" Izzy stood up quickly. "We can figure this whole situation out one thing at a time. Mom and Dad are coming home tomorrow. After that, we figure everything else out."

"So you're suggesting I just ghost my mom and uncle?" Alec asked

"They're not your real family anyway," Izzy said. That made Alec stop. It was true, but the weight of them still hit hard. 

" _Now_ you decide not to break the rules, Iz?" Jace asked.

"They took you once, and I don't want them to take you again," Izzy said with finality.

Alec sighed. He could argue that he was eighteen, and as a mundane they couldn't legally hold him forever. Or he had ways out of the apartment if they tried. But he didn't want to upset Isabelle. 

* * *

 A few hours wore on and the three of them sat there. Talking, staying silent, occasionally leaving the room for one little reason or another. Alec preferred staying in the room, because he didn't want to run into anyone staring at him. Jace explained that no one else in the Institute officially knew who Alec was yet, but most of them were guessing correctly. They were waiting for Robert and Maryse to arrive and see their son again before making the news official. 

It was midnight before the three of them decided to go to bed. Alec was given spare clothes from another empty bedroom to change into. As he got ready to sleep in the room that was meant to be his all along, he was still feeling an anxiety in him. Meeting his real parents tomorrow, dealing with the realization that he was part of this new magical world, and still failing to ignore that his uncle had kidnapped him, and maybe his mother was complicit in it...

"Alec?"

Alec turned around to see Jace in the doorway, wearing a worn white t-shirt and sweatpants. "Yeah?" 

Jace took a step into the room. "You and I seemed to be on the same page earlier. That we need to figure out what your kidnappers know."

"Don't call them that."

"Fine...the mundanes," Jace said. "We need to find out what they know. And like you said, you can't just ignore them and expect all those calls and texts to just disappear."

Alec paused before nodding. "Okay, what are you suggesting we do?"

"Tomorrow morning," said Jace, "We go to your place and you ask them what they know."

"Yeah, and how many rules will that break?" Alec asked.

"None if they don't see me, and if you ask them we won't need an authorization to do it, since you're not officially a Shadowhunter yet. No offense."

Alec shook his head. "You want to go tomorrow? Aren't my parents arriving tomorrow?"

"We can be there and back before anyone knows we're gone."

Alec didn't quite believe that, but he let it go. "Izzy will be pissed."

"She will until she decides she's done playing 'protective sibling,'" Jace said. "She'll get over it."

Alec didn't like the thought of pissing off his sister so soon after realizing he had a sister. But he wanted to know. "Okay, I'm in."

Jace smiled. "We'll leave early tomorrow."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to everyone who has read/followed/commented/left kudos!  
> The chapter title is another reference to the musical Next to Normal.  
> You can find me on tumblr at itseemedworthrepeating.tumblr.com


	8. Living the Lie

Jace woke Alec up as soon as the sun was peeking over the Brooklyn skyline. Alec had taken forever to fall asleep, his mind still swimming with all of this new information he had. But when he finally did fall asleep, exhaustion took over and he slept like a rock. To the point where he was struggling to get up that morning. Jace was in and out of his room as Alec got ready, dressing in all black because that seemed like the 'Shadowhunter' thing to do.

Alec met Jace outside the elevator of the Institute. Jace had a sword strapped to his back like he did when Alec first met him. He had a dagger in the other hand and handed it over to Alec. "I'll be with you the whole time, but just in case."

"You saved me once from a demon, and I'm not keen on making that a pattern," Alec said, taking the dagger. He'd seen enough movies to know the idea behind using it, but obviously he wasn't an expert. The dagger glowed when he touched it, and it almost pulsed like it was alive.

"It will be a pattern, now that you're back in the world you were supposed to be in," said Jace, calling the elevator. 

Alec rolled his eyes and they landed on a table next to them. On the table in a little picture frame was a young kid with black hair staring at the camera. About four years old. "Is that me?" He asked Jace, pointing to the picture.

"Yeah," Jace replied. "That picture's been there since before I arrived here."

Alec stared at it a little while longer before he heard the ding of the elevator and the boys stepped inside. "Arrived?" Alec asked.

"When I was ten," Jace explained. "I lived in Idris before that with my father. After he was killed I was sent here and your parents took me in. I guess you could say I'm your adopted brother."

There was a lot to unpack from Jace's story, and most of it felt like things Alec shouldn't have pried on. So he didn't ask anything about Jace's father or Idris. Instead he just said. "One more sibling to add on that I didn't know about."

"Don't sound so excited," said Jace. 

"Honestly there's a lot going on for me right now, so I'm just taking everything as it comes."

"Including confronting the mundanes that kidnapped you?"

Those words still sat wrong with Alec, like he couldn't accept them. The weight in their truth was a lot to handle. "I need to know why they did it. Or if they knew," he said after a pause.

* * *

Alec and Jace had left early enough to beat the big rush hour from Brooklyn to Manhattan. Once they got to Upper Manhattan, the streets were crowded and bustling with the morning Monday commute. Alec couldn't help but feel the difference between how much things have changed since he was last in his own neighborhood. Everything had changed for him, and yet New York continued on as normal. Nobody new that demons and warlocks and the like existed...

"Will you stop staring at everyone?" Jace asked him finally, sounding slightly annoyed. 

Alec snapped back to reality and caught up with Jace. "I'm not staring."

"They're all just mundanes. You should be familiar with them."

"Thanks," Alec grumbled. 

"Oh, and I should mention," said Jace, "I'm glamoured. I can't be seen unless someone has the Sight. So to all these mundanes, it looks like you're talking to yourself."

Alec would've been offended, especially since Jace's tone came across with a shit-eating grin. But he shrugged. "It's New York. No one pays attention to anyone else. And people talk to themselves all the time."

Alec expected some kind of new snappy comeback to that -- it seemed to be a signature Jace thing -- but when he looked at the guy, Jace seemed impressed. "Fair enough." And the matter was settled.

Alec lived in an apartment building near Columbia University, just him and his mother most of the time. On weekends Russell would stay with them. So Alec should have just expected his mother to be there. She didn't work and stayed home most of the time anyway. Unless she and Russell were so worried about Alec disappearing that both of them would be there. Honestly, he wouldn't know for sure until he got upstairs. 

"You have a plan?" Jace asked after Alec led him inside the ground floor and toward the elevator. 

Alec sighed. "They won't be able to see you, right?"

"Unless they have the Sight for some reason, no."

"Okay. Then just let me do the talking."

"Sure. And when one of them reveals themselves to be a demon in hiding, then I'll step in."

"Whatever makes you feel better about yourself," Alec said. The elevator arrived to his floor and he stepped out first.

"I always feel--" Jace started, but Alec held up a hand to shut him up.

Alec paused at the apartment door, and when he didn't hear any noise on the other side, he pulled out his key and opened it. He kept it open behind him, allowing Jace to follow and hoping it would make for an easier escape, should it come to that. Jace slipped inside behind him while Alec glanced around the familiar space. It was all as he'd left it yesterday morning: mail from a few days ago still lingering on the kitchen counter, as well as a few plates and dishes from yesterday, blankets were thrown across the back of the couch, the TV was even still playing in the corner of the living room, though at a very low volume. Only his mother's jacket was hanging on the hook by the front door, so Russell was more than likely not here. His mother's room was the furthest one down the hall, if she was here...

"Should someone be here?" Jace asked quietly.

Alec glanced down the hall. "My mom--Meredith..."

Could he even do this right now? Yes, he said he wanted to know what his adoptive mother and Russell knew about his kidnapping, but now, standing in his apartment, his mother presumably down the hall, he couldn't bring himself to want to confront her. She raised him, she'd loved him so much...

"Alec, now or never," Jace hissed.

Alec opened his mouth to respond when he heard a brief shuffle down the hall, followed by Meredith's voice. "Alec? Is that you?"

Alec saw his mom come out of her room, her curious look turning quickly into one of sheer relief when she saw him home now. "Oh sweetie." Meredith rushed for him and pulled him into a hug. Alec didn't return it, and he didn't look at her when she pulled away and started fussing with his jacket. "I was so worried about you. You were gone for almost a day, where were you? Why didn't you call?"

Of course she wasn't mad at him, she never was. In a way, Alec got out easy with Russell not being here. He would've been pissed.  

"Alec, is everything okay?"

Alec looked into her eyes. She had always cared so much for him. Everything Meredith had done was for Alec. She fed him every day, homeschooled him until he was ten years old, asked him about his day and fussed over his appearance. She did love him. 

"I know what happened," he said.

And he said it because he needed to know the truth. The truth was more important right now than appeasing his mother...fake mother. As much as he loved her back and felt like he knew her in and out, the sweet and quiet life he'd lived in this apartment had been a lie. He'd been stolen from another life. And that wasn't right. 

But Meredith only looked confused. "Alec, what are you talking about? What happened?"

Alec paused. "You told me yesterday morning that I was adopted suddenly. That Russell picked me up outside a church. But that's more true than I thought it was, wasn't it?"

Meredith slowly started shaking her head.

"I was picked up outside a church. But not by a social worker or anything. Russell never signed any adoption papers or anything like that."

"Alec--"

"I was kidnapped."

The words hung heavily in the air. No one moved or said anything for several long seconds, the only sounds around them was the breeze through the curtains and the honking from traffic outside. Meredith seemed stunned, and Alec couldn't read for sure what was exactly going on in her head. Shocked because she didn't know? Or because he finally found out?

"Alec, sweetie, please let me--"

"Did you know?" Alec cut her off with a forceful tone, one he'd never even dream of using to talk to his mother in the past.

"Alec..."

"Did you know I was kidnapped?"

Another silence. Then, Meredith said, "Yes."

Alec looked away from her. She knew...she knew and never said anything to him...

"Alec please, I can explain."

"No, don't," he said. He could see the hurt in her expression, but an adrenaline that kicked in moments ago kept his anger going. "I don't want to hear it. There's no explaining kidnapping a child."

"Alec, Russell thought you were alone at that church."

"Well I wasn't," Alec said. "I had a family that was there and didn't know where I was for fourteen years thanks to Russell." His memory was clear as day now, a childlike wonder for what  was around the gate of the Institute and feeling that forceful grab on his arm, fingers digging in, looking up and knowing that the face was so familiar to him now.

"Alec, all I ever wanted was for you to be happy and loved."

Deep down, Alec did believe that. She had loved him like any mother should. But he wasn't seeing past the kidnapping right now, and the fact that she knew it happened and didn't tell him.

"I'm done with this. I'm not living in your lie anymore." Alec turned to leave, running into Jace as he did so. He'd forgotten that Jace was even there.

"Alec!"

Alec didn't allow himself to turn around and look at her, even one last time. "Don't try to find me."

And Alec left. He could hear Jace's footsteps behind him as he headed for the stairs - not even caring that he was about to walk down nine stories. His adrenaline just kept him going.  

He was out of the apartment building, joining and getting lost in the New York crowd as he left.

* * *

 

Alec kept up a quick pace as he walked, the adrenaline high driving him away from that apartment. He didn't have a destination in mind, he just needed to get away from it. The crowd helped him to lose himself, though he could still tell that at least Jace was keeping up behind him.

He didn't want the person behind him to be Meredith or Russell.

Alec got to the edge of Central Park before he finally stopped walking. Damn, he really had walked far. Alec found an empty bench and sat down, sliding his hands through his hair. He felt a jumble of emotions and thoughts all happening at once. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jace leaning against the back of the bench. "You know, as much as I can tell you don't want to talk about what just happened...I can say it was productive."

The slight perk in Jace's voice annoyed Alec. "Was it?" Alec clearly wasn't thinking about that encounter's productivity at that moment.

"Yes," said Jace. "Besides you walking out on your fake family, we did learn a few things. One, she knew you were kidnapped and didn't do anything. And two, she clearly is a mundane. She didn't have the Sight, and didn't know it was the Institute you were taken from. So at least she knows nothing about the Shadow World."

Alec strangely felt relieved by that.

"Though, whether we can say the same about your friend Russell, whoever that is, is a different story."

Alec sighed. He could believe Meredith knew nothing about him being a Shadowhunter. Though Russell was still in the air. Alec could imagine what the situation would've been like had Russell been at the apartment. His uncle always had a temper. Alec wouldn't have had as easy of a time leaving if Russell had been there. Alec could only pray that by the time Russell found out that Alec had walked out like that, Alec could be off their radar entirely.

Alec happened to glance at the couple markings he could see on Jace's arm. They were one of the first things he'd noticed when he ran into Jace. They'd just looked like weird tattoos. Somewhere along the way, Izzy had mentioned what they were and did, but after everything going on, he only had a vague idea now. 

Instead of a refresher course, he asked, "How do I get one of those?"

Jace looked down at his arm and then at Alec. "The Runes?"

"Yes. How do I get them?"

Jace pulled what looked like a wand from his pocket. "You draw them on yourself with this. It's called a stele."

"So I can just draw them on and they'd work?"

Jace tucked the stele away. "Probably. Since you were born one, that should work. But we're raised in rigorous training and rituals to prepare for our first Runes. Including knowing what they all mean and do. You don't just draw something and hope for the best."

"So you won't draw one on me right now?"

"No," Jace said, straightening up. "If something went wrong, Izzy would actually kill me. So instead I'm taking you home."

It took Alec a second to realize he meant back to the Institute. "Right."

"I said I'd get you back before Robert and Maryse arrived."

"You think we'll actually make it in time?"

"No, so Izzy might kill me for that instead."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks to all those who are reading and leaving comments/kudos  
> You can also find me on tumblr at itseemedworthrepeating.tumblr.com


	9. King and Queen

It was eleven in the morning before Jace and Alec got back to the Institute. The idea behind "we will be gone and back before anyone even notices wasn't exactly accurate when Jace promised Alec that. Because when the boys finally rounded the corner and walked back in through the main gate to the Institute lawns, there was a group of people outside the big main doors. As they crossed the lawn, Jace in the lead, Alec could make out Isabelle among the group, talking urgently to two adults. The woman had the same dark hair as Izzy, and the man had a stern look on his face. Both were dressed to look very business-like and official, very neat looking, and Alec wondered briefly if they were here to get him or Jace or Izzy into some kind of trouble. Others were also hanging around, but none were talking or seemed in an urgent state like Izzy and the two adults were.

"Jace..." Alec started. The idea of walking up to this group made him feel a little uneasy. 

But he didn't get a chance to finish his sentence, because at that moment, Isabelle looked up and saw him and Jace. Her eyes lit up. "Alec!"

The two adults turned around, their eyes landing first on Jace and then locking onto Alec. He returned the gaze as he stopped at the foot of the stone steps that led to where they stood. Now, seeing their faces, he could see the similarities. Not just in the same dark hair he and Izzy had, but in the expressions and facial features. These were his real parents. 

Alec felt a hand on his back as Jace pushed him forward and up onto the steps. Alec now stood on the stoop in front of his parents, all eyes locked on each other. The seconds felt like they lagged on as each person took in the other party. 

Finally, it was his mother, Maryse, who spoke first. "Alexander?" Her voice was questioning, as if it was hard it believe he was standing here. But behind them was a choked up tone, like she was holding herself back. From hugging or crying, something along those lines. 

Alec felt a swelling in his chest. He was little when he thought of meeting his biological parents. At the time, it didn't mean that much because he always thought he was simply adopted. And Russell would scold him if he ever even brought up the idea. But now he hadn't really had the time to think about what meeting his real parents would be like, given the minuscule time span that had progressed since he first got lost in Brooklyn. Izzy and Jace could've told him everything about their parents, a week could've passed by even, and Alec would not have fully prepared himself for this moment.

The corner of Alec's mouth quirked up a bit. "I go by Alec now," he said gently. If he had any semblance in his mind, he would've said something a little better. But it was the first thing to come out of his mouth. 

Maryse let out a small laugh and extended her arms, pulling Alec into a long-overdue hug. She squeezed him tight, a tear tricking down her cheek. Alec wrapped his arms around his mother, sighing in relief. She held onto him as if a hug could make up for fourteen years of being apart, like she would never let him go again. Part of Alec would be okay with that anyway.

This was the world he belonged in. This was what was taken from him for fourteen years. 

Alec and Maryse were still holding onto each other when Alec felt Robert's arms enclose around both of them. They all held each other, letting the moment stretch out.

Alec looked up in time to see Izzy shove Jace on the shoulder and he smiled.

* * *

"You were so close by all this time..."

Alec turned to look at Maryse. She was sitting on the corner of Robert's desk. Robert was across the room and the both of them seemed to be processing what Alec was telling them. At this point he was growing tired of repeating the story, but hopefully this would be the last time.It was just the three of them, after Robert had made the announcement to the Institute that their son had been found and was back (an event that thank God Alec did not actually have to be in attendance at). And after Maryse said something about sending word of the news to someone called an Inquisitor and some Council. 

Alec stood on one side of Robert's office, taking the time between talking to look at all the books and things on the shelves, and looking out the window. He shrugged. "I didn't know what was going on. It's not like I could've come back...And eventually I..." He trailed off, the phrase _'I forgot'_ hanging in the air between them.

"And you lived in the mundane world this whole time?" Robert asked. Neither of his parents seemed like the emotional type. Robert more-so than Maryse, most of the time. 

Alec nodded. "I just had a normal life. I was told I was adopted and... that's it." He shrugged again. "There were signs, I guess... but, I didn't make much of them until everything came out."

There was a pause before Robert spoke again. "And the mundanes who took you?"

Alec glanced out the window. "They don't matter."

Maryse stood up. "Alexander..."

Alec cut her off before she could continue. "They were just mundanes. They didn't know I was a Shadowhunter or anything about this world. And they won't try finding me again." And Alec wasn't about to think about their motivations anymore. He wanted to leave them behind right now. "I don't want to talk about them."

In the reflection in the window, Alec saw Maryse straighten her blazer. "That's alright, Alec." She walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're home, and that's all that matters right now." She hugged him again. 

A knock sounded at the door a moment before Izzy walked in. "I heard back from the Inquisitor and the Penhallows. The Penhallows are ready to send Max here whenever you'd like."

Right, Alec had one more family member to meet.

Robert nodded. "And the Inquisitor?"

"Inquisitor Herondale wants to come here in the next few days. She wants to talk to you two and to Alec."

 Alec didn't know who that was but it didn't sound good. Especially after he saw the less-than-favorable expressions on Robert and Maryse's faces. Maryse kept a hand on Alec's shoulder. "The Inquisitor's visit will have to wait. Alec needs time at home first."

Robert spoke up. "Mar--"

But Maryse quickly shot him a look. "I will answer back to Inquisitor Herondale. You can send a message to the Penhallows about Max."

Something seemed off about the interactions between his parents, and Alec didn't know what to make of it. He didn't know them well enough to jump to a conclusion yet. 

There were a lot of things he still had to learn about his family.

* * *

 The rest of the day passed without much excitement. He was in and out of spending time with his parents and with Izzy and Jace, and Alec was finally able to get some decent sleep that night. Finally, he wasn't thinking about the weird people he'd met or awake thinking of confronting the mundanes he'd lived with for fourteen years. He could just let his mind relax and be. Alec felt like he could finally start being Alec Lightwood now, rather than just a mundane, or the possible missing Shadowhunter. No more in between for him.

A good night's sleep meant Alec slept in well past the rest of the residents in the Institute. He could hear the distant bustling of business going on down the hall.  Even so, Alec took his time getting showered and ready, savoring the time. 

Soon enough, he stepped out of his room and headed toward the main area. He still wasn't keen on having all of the other Shadowhunters staring at him. They all knew his story, and they all knew he had returned. But that didn't stop the stares when he entered the room. When Alec felt all of the eyes turn onto him, this realization settled on his shoulders: everyone knew him as the missing Shadowhunter. The young child who disappeared and suddenly reappeared at eighteen. As if everything going on in the last few days wasn't enough, now he had all eyes on him and everyone knowing the general details of what happened.

Alec turned away from the main area and down the nearest hallway. He had a vague idea of how to get around, and maybe if he wandered around enough he'd find Jace or Izzy.

"You look lost again, Alexander. This may turn into a pattern."

Alec turned around when he heard the voice behind him. "Magnus," he said when he saw it was the warlock. It was only a couple days ago but it felt like so long had passed since they'd parted. 

Magnus was smiling as he approached Alec. "I hope one day I'll run into you and you won't look so lost," he commented. "Though, you seem in better spirits than you did last time. I've heard through the grapevine that you've since sorted things out?"

It sounded so casual when Magnus asked about it. And Alec was impressed about how Magnus was able to pull that off. It was a refreshing change. "Yeah," Alec breathed, "I guess you could say that."

"Good to know," Magnus replied. 

"What are you doing here?" Alec asked. "You had to leave so quickly last time..." Alec still didn't forget the way Magnus was basically forced out of the Institute after he'd helped Alec.

"Just work related things," Magnus said. "Being the High Warlock of Brooklyn brings me around every once in a while. Our first meeting was by no means our last."

"Good," Alec smiled.

Magnus returned the smile before speaking again. "Care for a walk?" 

"Sure." Alec walked alongside Magnus down the hall. He didn't think they had any particular destination, but it was just nice to walk with someone.

"So," Magnus started, "I assume you're now getting yourself acclimated to the Shadow World. How's that going?"

Alec gave a shrug. "There's a lot that I still don't understand. I'm just kind of going along for the ride right now."

"All in due time, Alexander."

Alec paused for a beat. " Can I ask you something?"

Magnus glanced at Alec. "Of course."

Alec stopped for a moment, trying to figure out how to word his question. "You're a warlock, right? And there's obviously Shadowhunters... how many other kinds of...creatures... species, whatever..."

Magnus chuckled as Alec stammered through the last few words, and Alec felt his cheeks go warm. "I think you need a Downworld lesson."

"Sure..."

"Well, we have warlocks like myself, then there's vampires, werewolves, and the Fair Folk. Faeries," Magnus clarified when he saw Alec's expression.

They continued meandering through the halls while Magnus explained the Downworld and more about Shadowhunters, and also patiently answered Alec's questions when they came up. The world was so much bigger than Alec ever realized. And his thoughts were apparently read-able on his face as he and Magnus made their way out of the Institute through the green house. 

"A lot to take in, I take?" Magnus asked. 

"You could say that," Alec replied. "Though, I guess it'll eventually become normal to me."

"It will," Magnus said. "Unless you plan on going back to the mundane world again...?" 

"No," Alec said quickly, and he noted a hint of relief on Magnus' face. "No. Not at all. This is how I was supposed to live. I need to make up for all the time lost."

"Well, if I know Shadowhunters at all, there will be plenty of opportunities for that. Demon hunting and supernatural politics never end, believe me. I know from centuries of experience."

Alec paused. It was very warm out, the sun shining down on the lawn and reflecting off of the buildings all around them. "Can I ask you something else?"

"Of course."  

"The other night, when you helped me with my memory... I know Jace got kind of...well he wasn't very nice to you. I just... do you two not like each other or...?' While Alec trailed off his question, Magnus nodded and looked out onto the lawn.

"I'm not the biggest fan of Jace, that much is true," Magnus said. "But there is a lot of...animosity, between different species in the Shadow World. To oversimplify it, everyone has a loyalty to their own. And it's centuries worth of turf wars and violence and... Jace's comments are nothing compared to things I've been told in the past. It's no big deal."

Alec leaned against a stone railing. "That doesn't make it right..."

"Don't trouble yourself with it, Alexander. You have other things to concern yourself over."

Alec sighed. "I guess so." All this new information he'd been given was proof of that. "Hey so...thanks for explaining all of this to me. I wish I could return the favor somehow..."

"How about," Magnus started, "Since you grew up in the mundane world, you give me some good restaurants that you've been to."

Alec froze and looked up at Magnus. "Are you..."

"Whether or not you join me is up to you. I just enjoy good food," Magnus said. 

"Um... okay," Alec stammered and couldn't help a grin. "Honestly I don't know good food. My favorite restaurant is Shake Shack."

 "Alexander!"

Magnus and Alec both turned quickly at the voice. Robert was in the doorway of the Institute. He looked eerily like he did the day Alec went missing, same expression and everything.

"Uh..."

"We want to talk to you, your mother and I," Robert said. It was a light tone, but Robert kept glancing over at Magnus every few seconds, watching him.

"I should get going anyway," Magnus said. "See you around, Alexander."

With that Magnus left, and Alec watched him cross the sunny grass on his way out. 

Alec turned back to Robert. "You should come inside," Robert said. "I don't want you wandering off again."

Alec didn't know if that was some kind of joke or if Robert meant it, so he forced out a quick chuckle anyway and went back inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a very long and very overdue chapter. As always, many thanks to everyone who is reading and leaving kudos/comments, especially after it takes me so long to update chapters  
> you can find me at itseemedworthrepeating.tumblr.com for Shadowhunters content and occasional updates on this story and other stuff I'm writing.


	10. Archer Boy

 "People have been asking about you."

Alec glanced up at Isabelle from the book he'd been flipping through - one Izzy had called 'the Codex.' Izzy was sitting at his desk chair, playing with a stele in her hands. "I'm not surprised," he replied.

Izzy shrugged. "Everyone knew your story. Plus, big things like that don't stay secret among the Nephilim."

That unnerved Alec a little bit, but he brushed it off. "What are they asking?"

Izzy sighed. "The usual... Asking where you were this whole time, if you remembered anything."

"Maybe we should send out a memo or something. Or a frequently-asked-questions." 

"'Alexander Gideon Lightwood...'" Isabelle started in a mock-dramatic voice, "Lived as a mundane for fourteen  _harrowing years..._ "

"Iz..." Alec tried, but she kept going.

"He remembers nothing of the Shadow World, and he doesn't appreciate questions at this time."

Alec shook his head, looking back at the book in his lap.

"Before anyone asks, he is also not accepting advances from potential female partners at this time either. Subject to change in the future."

Alec was mid-page flip when Izzy said this, and his startle at this notion made him tear an inch into the delicate page by accident.

"Careful," Izzy said casually, "Those books are really old."

"Uh..." Alec had gotten very flustered very fast. "Yeah... right..." He slid the book from his lap and onto the bed. "Sorry."

Izzy's head tilted a little bit. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Alec..."

Damn, Izzy was good at knowing him even after only a few days. Alec sighed. This wasn't a conversation he'd ever had before. And it was one he tried avoiding. "I'm... not exactly looking for... female parters..."

"Well, yeah not right now."

"No," Alec interrupted. "Like...ever."

Isabelle paused, silence filling the room as Alec finally looked up at her.

"Iz... I'm gay."

Alec glanced down when Isabelle didn't say anything at first. He felt his hands trembling. Despite the fact that admitting it felt like a little weight felt lifted off of him, those moments where Isabelle didn't say anything felt dragged on, and Alec was fearing the worst.

Alec heard Izzy get up from the chair and step closer to him. Then he felt her arms wrap around him, her chin resting on his shoulder in a hug from behind. Alec felt himself calm down just a little.

"Thanks for telling me, big brother," Izzy said. 

Alec gave a small smile. "I've never told anyone before..." He said. He never felt the obligation to tell either Meredith or Russell back in his old life. But now he trusted Isabelle, his sister and his real family, after everything she'd done for him the past few days. 

"I just want you to know something first..."

Alec tensed again. Isabelle let go and sat on the bed, facing her brother. "I support you. But most other Shadowhunters are very behind on this kind of stuff. It's still something that doesn't get talked about. I just want you to be prepared for that, whenever you decide to let others know."

So there was some good news. Isabelle supported him. But Alec might not be so lucky with others. For now at least, he was just happy that Izzy supported him. He could take everything else when he felt like it. 

Alec nodded. "Thank you."

* * *

Alec spent the next week of his new life being woken up at ungodly hours of the morning by Isabelle. More often than not, she forced him out of bed and brought him immediately to the training room. And there she would put him through hours of going over weapons and fight training. Alec's legs and stomach had quite a few bruises each, and his left shoulder hadn't rid itself of its soreness for a few days now. 

Along the way there seemed to be some debate going on about whether or not Alec would receive a rune that would help him heal faster. He was all for it, if it meant he could sleep without having the discomfort. But his own vote in favor of receiving the rune didn't seem to count. Izzy was on his side in the matter, but Robert and Maryse had the final say, and they both refused to let Alec get the rune yet. Something to do with meeting with the Inquisitor first and conferring with the Silent Brothers. Alec still didn't know what either of those terms meant, and he didn't feel like asking. Either way, he didn't argue the matter and just healed the old-fashioned way for now. 

The routine went on for several days, until the one morning Alec knew he would get a break. Izzy was assigned on an early morning patrol and thus decided to give him the morning off from training. So the night before, Alec locked his bedroom door as an extra precaution, and planned to sleep at least until nine o'clock that morning. He may be a Shadowhunter now, and he was certainly dedicated to the training and learning about the world - no matter how many bruises he got - but there were some mundane practices he wasn't ready to give up on yet. 

Unfortunately, Alec was startled awake by a knock on his door. He heard a muffled male voice on the other side calling his name. Jace.

"I'm sleeping," Alec replied back, closing his eyes again. He assumed Jace would go away when he couldn't get in the room. 

But only a second later he heard a click and the squeak of his door opening, and suddenly Jace was barreling into the room. "Come on, get up."

Alec rolled over. Jace was already dressed and wearing some fighting gear. He glanced at the clock. Only seven thirty. "Seriously?"

"I wouldn't break into your room if I wasn't serious," Jace replied.

"How  _did_ you get in here? I locked the door."

Jace held up what Alec now recognized as a stele. "A simple opening rune."

Alec groaned and rolled over again, burying his face in his pillows.  "Let me sleep in for once."

"No can-do," Jace said. "I want to see how well Izzy is training you."

"Why? You think Izzy isn't doing a good job?"

"No, I do," Jace said. "Actually, I just need a sparring partner more than anything."

Jace bugged Alec for a few more minutes before Alec finally got out of bed, and continued to bug him while Alec got ready. Finally they made their way to the training room. The morning light was shining in through the large window at the end of the room, shining on the open floor. The only other occupant in the room was a now familiar face sitting on the window ledge, fiddling with a little practice weapon from one of the shelves, his little legs kicking against the air while he sat. 

Alec met his littlest brother Max the day after he reunited with his parents. Alec had been minding his own business in his father's office when he looked up to see a young face peeking around the door, staring at him. Alec felt the awkwardness before saying a "hi" to the kid.

"Are you Alexander?" The boy had asked.

"Alec. But, yes..."

It was then that Robert came to the door, formally introducing Alec to his little brother. Alec thought at first that Max was a shy kid, but as the day wore on, he saw the eagerness in Max to participate in whatever he and Jace and Izzy were doing.  

So it wasn't really a surprise to see him in the training room now, up bright and early to watch, despite the fact that he was too young to train with them very much.

Max looked up when Jace and Alec entered. "I'm hiding from Mom and Dad," he said. "They're gonna bug me to do more history studying."

"Well, this will be educational for you," Jace smiled. "You can see your older brother get his ass kicked."

Alec smirked. "You think you're getting your ass kicked? I thought you had confidence in yourself."

Max covered up a laugh that came from his mouth.  Jace appeared offended, but impressed. "Okay hotshot," Jace said to Alec. "You think you're so great? Show me what you've learned." Jace gestured to the wall of weapons.

Alec knew some of them by now, mainly the popular seraph blades and daggers. For a beginner, Alec could hold his own on the training floor. But he knew he wasn't great at any of them. Except Alec had been eyeing the bow and arrow since the day he arrived. But they hadn't gotten to that portion of weapons training. Isabelle was making sure he was focused on the basics for now. But, this was Jace. Basics be damned.

He strode over and took the bow and quiver of arrows off the shelf and geared himself up. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Jace looking a little surprised at his selection, and Max just looking eager to watch as usual. Alec placed himself on one end of the training room floor, just opposite a practice target on the other end. The big red target circle in the middle of the canvas was calling to him, challenging him. Alec breathed slowly and notched an arrow, taking slow and deliberate aim, and exhaling as he released. A whoosh was followed by a small thud as the arrow hit the target canvas. 

It didn't hit the red bullseye. But it had hit the ring of blue just to the right the bullseye. 

"Not bad," Jace broke the brief silence. "I didn't think Izzy would train you so early on a bow. It's not a popular weapon of choice."

"We haven't trained with a bow," Alec said. 

Jace's eyes snapped back to Alec. "You're that good with no training?"

"I didn't hit the center."

"Still," Jace said. "How did you get good at this?"

Alec didn't answer right away. The memory of that after-school class he'd signed up for came back to him. They were free archery classes provided by the school, just one hour in the afternoons after the end of the day. Alec had signed up almost immediately.  It was a mix of things that made him enjoy the class so much: learning something new, the chance to say he could do something unique like archery, something to occupy his free time after school besides just going home, and the undeniable fact that he was a lot better than the other handful of students who were also in the class. Unfortunately, Alec only got through three classes before Russell found out and was furious, and demanded that Alec quit. Even when the instructor almost begged Alec to stay on because of his skill, Alec had no choice.

"I've had some experience," Alec finally replied. Even if he hadn't had that minimal experience, even he was surprised at how naturally good he was at it.

They continued for a little while. Alec was firing arrow after arrow to the target. A couple met their desired target, with the others still hitting other parts of the canvas, and none of them missed completely. Jace was giving Alec some tips along the way, even though he readily admitted that this wasn't his weapon of choice. Some worked and some didn't. Alec was starting to think Jace didn't actually know all that much about archery. Not as much as he was letting on anyway.

Max had been watching their interactions through it all. The tips and the occasional bickers in between too. "You two should be parabatai."

Both Alec and Jace stopped at the same time, turning to stare at Max. 

"What's that?" Alec asked.

Jace looked like he wanted to answer Max's statement first, but eventually answered Alec's question. "It's a bond between Shadowhunters. Two Shadowhunters can make a connection between them. They become one in battle, when one is hurt, both feel it. When one dies, part of the other dies too."

"So...I take it this bond is a big deal."

"It's stronger than any bond mundanes or Downworlders could make. It's one of the strongest connections in the world."

Alec considered that. "So you don't have a parabatai?"

Jace scoffed. "No. I don't need one. I'm already good enough at being a Shadowhunter. A parabatai being attached to me would just hold me back."

Alec rolled his eyes, and caught Max doing the same. "Yeah, whatever you say." Alec let the arrow fly, this time it hit on the line of the center circle.

"You've had a lot of questions for me," Jace stepped toward Alec, "I have one for you now. What were you doing with Magnus Bane the other day?"

Alec's brow furrowed. "Why does that matter?"

"Why don't you answer my question?"

"Stop it." Alec rolled his eyes again. "We were just talking. He was telling me about the Downworld and stuff. That's it."

A smirk came across Jace's face. "Interesting..."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing."

Alec set aside his bow. "I should have stayed in bed."

"Hey," Jace said, "Look, all I'm saying is... be careful around Downworlders. There is a peace between them and Shadowhunters but it's shaky, to say the least. You'll understand eventually."

Alec had a hard time grasping Jace's explanation. Something just didn't feel right about it. "I can take care of myself."

A silence fell over them. Alec finally turned away to put the bow and arrows back in their proper place. He could hear Jace swishing a sword around behind him. 

A few minutes later, and a small voice spoke up. "So does this mean you guys are done training?" Max asked.

The door opened, and Isabelle walked in. She looked tired from an early morning on patrol. "I just overheard Mom and Dad," she said without a greeting. "Inquisitor Herondale is coming this afternoon from Idris."

"What for?" Jace asked.

Izzy looked at Alec. "She wants to talk to you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to everyone, especially after I take so long to update.  
> I apologize for not mentioning Alec being gay earlier in the story. It's very important to Alec as a character, and I do wish I could go back and rewrite sections to mention it, even in his own narration or something of the sort. But It will keep coming up in the story, especially as Magnus comes into Alec's life more and more, and as Alec grows into his new life.  
> You can find me on tumblr at my new url gryffindoralec.tumblr.com


	11. Inquisition

Alec had been in his father’s office a few times since living at the Institute. The atmosphere of it was usually warm, with the fireplace going on the far wall and the fact that this was usually the space where he was talking with his family members. Here he felt like he could call this life home, and he could embrace the life of a Shadowhunter. He could start.

It felt the complete opposite when he walked in today to meet Imogen Herondale, the Inquisitor. He’d read enough of the codex so far to know that she handed out all the official interrogations among Shadowhunters. She had a stern face, and gave little greeting when Alec walked in.

“Come in Alexander. Sit down.”

Alec felt the chill run through him as he closed the door behind him and made his way to the leather couch in the center of the room. Inquisitor Herondale was standing next to Robert’s desk.

“Um...hello.”

"You can address me as Inquisitor."

Alec sat down slowly on the leather couch, knowing now this wouldn't be some simple question and answer session, or a warm welcome from the Clave into the Shadow World.

"Let's get to business," Inquisitor Herondale started, "You arrived at the Institute over one week ago, correct?"

"Yes..." Of course Alec knew the answer to that, but the seriousness of the Inquisitor's questions suddenly made Alec feel like he needed to second guess himself.

"And how did you first come by the Institute?"

Alec continued to be nervous as he stammered his way through the details - getting jumped by the demon, meeting Jace, then Izzy, as well as Magnus Bane, and then from there. The Inquisitor's stern looks didn't help Alec either. It seemed like she was believing Alec less and less with every sentence he got out.

Inquisitor Herondale didn't change her expression after Alec finished. "You mean to tell me you happened to come across a demon, two Shadowhunters, and a warlock?"

"It's true," Alec said. As circumstantial as it was, Alec didn't lie.

"And the Lightwoods are convinced that you are actually their son?"

That wording made Alec paused. "You think I'm not actually who I say I am?"

"I'm not ruling anything out right now, Alexander. That's my job."

Alec stared at her. "Don't you guys have DNA tests or something like that?"

"We can subject you to a test from the Silent Brothers. They can determine if you are a Shadowhunter and a real Lightwood."

"Fine, I'll do it." Images he'd seen of the Silent Brothers so far had creeped him out. But he was willing to go through that if it meant proving his real identity to this woman. 

"Not so fast, Alexander," Inquisitor Herondale continued. "I'd also like to know how you somehow managed to, as you claim, wander away from the Institute that day fourteen years ago."

Alec shrugged. "I was four, I saw something and I wanted to see where it was going..."

"And despite all of the tracking this Institute did after you disappeared, you happened to be in Manhattan all those years? Convinced you were a mundane?"

Still, Alec knew how circumstantial it all was. Then again, he was only four at the time, so his mind had been easily convinced that he was an adopted mundane. As for the tracking, Izzy had explained that rune and warlock tracking didn't go over water. So none of that would have mattered if the tracking started in Brooklyn rather than Manhattan. 

"That's what happened," Alec replied. 

"Who took you, Alexander?" the Inquisitor asked.

Alec sighed. "Russell Reese. He claimed he was my uncle all those years. He was just some mundane." And Alec was perfectly fine with never thinking of him again.

"Just you and this man lived in Manhattan together?"

"No," Alec said, "My mother... fake mother. Meredith Reese. Russell's sister."

"Was she not there the day you disappeared?"

"No. Just Russell. But she knew about it and never told me the truth..." That still stung, as much as Alec tried blocking out thoughts of Meredith. They crept up from time to time. He tried to not wonder what she was doing now that he left for good. It shouldn't matter to him anymore.

Inquisitor Herondale nodded. "And the warlock you said helped you get your memory back..."

Alec glanced up at her. "What about him?"

"It wouldn't be that hard for a warlock to give a mundane or a willing Shadowhunter fake memories and claim they're real."

Alec had to keep his jaw from dropping. "Magnus didn't do that to me."

"For now, Alexander, I can't take anything you say as truthful."

Alec stood up from the couch. He was tall enough to tower over Imogen. "What?"

"Until we are fully convinced that your statements are accurate and you are in fact the real Alexander Lightwood, I will not take any of your story as accurate. And until I corroborate your story with both Jace, Isabelle, your parents, and Magnus Bane, I consider you only a ward of the Institute."

"The hell does that mean?" Alec demanded, his filter disappearing.

"For now you will essentially be treated as a guest in the Institute. You don't get Shadowhunter privileges anymore. Including training or receiving any runes."

Alec was practically in shock. "That can't be your decision..."

"My decision overpowers any head of the Institute."

"Why don't you just believe me? I have no reason to lie!"

"You could have every reason to lie," Imogen said, her expression remaining level despite how heated Alec was getting. "I need to know for sure you are who you say you are, and know exactly why you were never found for fourteen years. And until then you're also forbidden from leaving the Institute."

"You can't do that!"

"I can and I will," the Inquisitor glared at Alec. "Watch what you say to me."

"This is ridiculous," Alec muttered and he turned to leave.

"Alexander," Imogen called after him. 

As Alec opened the door again, he turned just enough to make Imogen hear, "I wandered away once from the Institute when I wasn't supposed to, I can do it again." With that, he stormed out. He refused to hear anything else Imogen wanted to say to him. 

Alec was still fuming as he went down the hall, where he was about to pass Robert, Maryse, and Isabelle. The three of them stopped their hushed conversation when they saw him. He could see the worry in Izzy and Maryse's eyes when they saw how pissed he was.

"Alec..." Maryse started.

"Don't bother," Alec snapped. "I need some air."

"Alec what happened?" Izzy tried.

Alec stopped and turned to his family. "Apparently I might not be who I say I am," he said, an edge to his voice. "And she's about to figure it out for me."

"It's just precautions," Robert said, the calm tone making Alec even more pissed. 

"If I'd been found earlier we wouldn't be in this mess at all," Alec snapped. It silenced his family, and a few others who had been overhearing. "Or if either of you had been watching me that day like you were supposed to!"

"Alec!"

"Was it really so hard to come look for me? Or track me or something other than leave me?" Alec glared at his parents. No one said anything for a few stretched seconds. Alec broke the moment when he turned and left for good now. Down the elevator and out the Institute doors.

He needed out. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone still reading for being patient about the updates. I will try my best to be better about updating without long times in between. Hint for next chapter: the return of Malec interactions  
> Find me at gryffindoralec.tumblr.com and twitter @gryffindor_alec


	12. The Loft

Magnus feels the wards around his Brooklyn loft shift, signaling the approach of a guest. Usually anyone who approached were only people looking for favors of him. Since becoming the High Warlock, he rarely dealt with clients anymore, so favors usually meant servicing Shadowhunters, or settling things between Downworlders. The latter he didn't mind so much. The former was just an occupational hazard at this point. 

Magnus approached the door when he heard a knock, and a quick snap of his fingers made a one-way hole in the doorway appear, for Magnus to see who he would be dealing with this afternoon. 

And he paused when he saw Alexander Lightwood at his door, fidgeting nervously on the other side. 

What was Alexander doing here?

Magnus waved his hand, opening the door. Alec's head snapped up, locking on Magnus a second later. His mouth opened slightly as if he wanted to say something, but his words had suddenly escaped him. The only thing that came out of his mouth was a simple "hi."

"Hello there Alexander," Magnus greeted. Despite his disdain for Shadowhunters, he did rather like Alec. Maybe his raising in the mundane world hadn't been as terrible as everyone was making it out to be. Who knew what Alec would be like had he been raised in the Institute?  "What can I do for you?"

That was always Magnus' default question. Or a version of it. Because that's what everyone, Shadowhunters especially, wanted out of him. Brew this potion, secure these wards. Solve our problem. Such was the life of the High Warlock, and also a warlock living so close to a big Institute. But he was surprised when Alec paused, and instead said. "I don't really know, actually."

Magnus cocked his head to the side. 

"I left the Institute in a hurry," Alec explained quickly. "I didn't know where else to go. And I...ended up here." Another pause. "Never mind, I should leave."

"Don't," Magnus said. "Come in, Alexander."

Alec stepped inside and Magnus closed the door behind him with a flick of his wrist. Alec was looking around the loft with interest, something not unusual for newcomers. Magnus prided himself in having exquisite tastes in decor and furnishings, in any century he lived in. Everything was a mix of different kinds of decor and collected items from his centuries of living. 

He led Alec to the main living area. "If I may ask right away," Magnus started, "what made you leave the Institute in such a hurry?"

"It's a long story."

"I think we both have some time," Magnus said. He really did have a liking for the young Shadowhunter. 

Alec sighed. "I met the Inquisitor."

Magnus gave a slow nod. He'd met on occasion and heard enough about Inquisitor Herondale to have a good idea of what she was like. Also Alec's tone gave a lot away. The slight tiredness in his voice, mixed with some kind of distain. "I assume it was about your..."

"Kidnapping?" Alec deadpanned. Magnus had avoided the word because he didn't want to be insensitive. But Alec jumped that gun for him. "Yeah."

"Care to share?" It didn't matter whether Alec did or not, but Magnus felt like he should at least prompt it. Alec seemed like he needed to talk it all out. 

Alec paused, looking like he was mentally debating whether or not he should talk. And soon enough he blurted it out. "I was forbidden from leaving the Institute," he said, "just now."

"You're not a fan of the rules, I take it."

Alec shrugged. "She didn't believe that I'm actually Alexander Lightwood. Or that anything that happened the past few weeks is true."

Magnus connected the rest of the dots on his own. Of course Herondale would take the hardest stance possible on this. She was a hardass on every situation from start to finish. 

"Why would I have lied about any of what happened to me?" Alec asked. 

It was Magnus' turn to shrug. "Shadowhunters are very particular. Especially the Inquisitor. It often holds them back on a lot of issues."

Alec glanced down. "I've noticed. By the way, She said she wants to question you about me."

Magnus sighed. "I'm not surprised. For several reasons," he muttered.

"Several?" Alec asked. 

This was a much bigger conversation than Magnus ever planned. But part of him also felt like Alec needed to know all sides of this situation. Not just the one, more than likely biased, side he'd heard from his fellow Shadowhunters. "I did help you get your memories back, which would give Imogen cause for alarm. Especially because... Downworlders were very much blamed for your disappearance fourteen years ago."

"What? Why?"

"The Clave found it easy to believe that you were taken by faeries or vampires to stir up trouble in the Shadow World. Obviously nothing ever came from the accusations, but the resentment lasted to this day. I bet Imogen isn't thrilled that it was a Downworlder who helped you get your memories back."

"But it wasn't the Downworld's fault. I mean... I followed that faerie but..."

"But the Clave still needed some kind of explanation. That was what was easiest to them. The entire Downworld became their scapegoat."

Magnus had been lucky in a sense, that he was gone for a few weeks around the time Alec disappeared. He didn't get the brunt of the blame, but the vampires, werewolves, and faeries did. It caused a huge uproar at the time, one Magnus had to eventually help pacify.

"Well I'm back now," Alec said. "The blame game can stop soon." 

If only it were that easy. But Magnus liked Alec's bit of optimism. "Maybe the Shadow World can move on from all that." Magnus hung on the 'maybe' part of that. He knew better. 

"I'm ready to just live the life I was supposed to live and not keep getting hung up on all of this," Alec continued. "I missed enough of it already."

"Alexander," Magnus said. "You're eighteen. You're young. You have all the time in the world to catch up."

"It doesn't feel like it," Alec replied. "I missed fourteen years. And the Inquisitor doesn't want me to train or get runes or anything."

"So don't let her stop you."

Alec glanced up at Magnus. His eyes shone in the beam of sunlight coming through the big windows overlooking the living room. Magnus caught his thoughts before they trailed too far down a certain path: yes Alec was attractive, with beautiful eyes and the cute gentle swish if his hair over his forehead. Not to mention Alec's charm and good nature that Magnus didn't normally get from other Nephilim. But Alec was also young and naive. And in too much of a vulnerable and transitional part of his life for Magnus to even try any advances. Sure there had been light flirting thus far, a bit that hadn't as far as he could tell, made Magnus uncomfortable. But Magnus was setting his boundaries and would stick with them. 

"Don't let her stop you. Yes, eventually she will have to let you fully become a Shadowhunter. But in the meantime, show them the kind of Shadowhunter they're missing out on."

Magnus' words hung in the air for a few moments, while Alec glanced away to let them sink in. 

"You're right," Alec said. 

Alec's phone buzzed. He fumbled to get it out of his pocket for a second before finally fulling it out. Isabelle was calling him.

"Maybe I shouldn't have left the way I did..." Alec gave a slight chuckle. 

"Your family will understand," Magnus replied. 

"I guess I was a bit dramatic."

Magnus shrugged. "Happens to the best of us."

Alec finally answered Izzy's call. "Hey Iz, I'm sorry, I'll come back..."

"Alec!"

"Izzy, I'm fine," he said, noting the alarm in Izzy's voice. Storming out of the Institute without telling anyone where he was going pobably wasn't the best thing to do. "I'll be back in a bit..."

"Alec, you need to come back now."

Alec sighed. "Iz I'm fine."

"Alec, they're taking Meredith into custody...the woman who raised you. They're bringing her to the Institute now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You might notice I added that this story will end at chapter 16. That's the rough idea for now, but that might change, give or take one chapter.  
> Thanks for sticking with the story, even when I put it to the side for a little while. I hope I can stick with it and not take so long from here on out.   
> Find me at gryffindoralec on tumblr and @gryffindor_alec on twitter


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